21 turtles of protected species rescued in MP after tip-off by arrested gang member

A specialised anti-poaching and wildlife crime unit in Madhya Pradesh's Indore has recovered 21 turtles of protected species after being informed by an arrested member of an interstate wildlife smuggling gang, officials said on Wednesday.

The Indore unit of the forest department's State Tiger Strike Force (STSF) took the action, a release said.

Raunak Juneja (28), a resident of Dewas, recently surrendered before the Chief Judicial Magistrate of Indore after his anticipatory bail plea was rejected by the Madhya Pradesh High Court.

After Juneja's arrest, the STSF detained him under court orders and interrogated him. Based on the information provided by him, they recovered 19 Indian Pond turtles and two Star Tortoises, the release said.

Both the species are protected under the Wildlife (Protection) Act, 1972.

After the completion of the STSF custody period, the accused was produced in a court, from where he was remanded to judicial custody.

According to the release, a total of five accused, including Juneja, have been arrested so far in the interstate smuggling case, and a live Rose-ringed Parakeet (a species of parrot found in the Indian subcontinent) and a total of 54 turtles have been recovered.