Forest officials in Malkangiri seized 311 turtles and arrested three persons during a crackdown on wildlife smuggling.
The operation took place near Padmagiri when a Bolero vehicle carrying turtles from Andhra Pradesh was intercepted.
Acting on a tip-off, forest staff stopped the vehicle at Padmagiri Chhak and discovered a large number of turtles inside. Officials counted 288 live turtles and 23 dead ones. The seized vehicle and turtles were taken to the forest range office for further investigation.
The arrested individuals include Sidala Raj Reddy and N. Amar Nath from Devarapalli village in Polavaram district of Andhra Pradesh, along with Rabin Mirdha from MPV-65 village in Malkangiri district. Authorities confirmed that Rabin Mirdha has multiple cases registered against him.
Malkangiri DFO stated that the accused are being interrogated and will be produced in court. Range Officer Ramesh Kumar Raut added that the operation highlights the department’s vigilance against illegal wildlife trade.
