2 truckers jailed for smuggling vulnerable flapshell turtle

Guwahati: Two truck drivers from Chhattisgarh were remanded in judicial custody on Tuesday for their alleged involvement in smuggling an Indian flapshell turtle, a species classified as “vulnerable” by the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) red list.
The arrest took place at the Export Promotion and Industrial Park (EPIP) in Amingaon, North Guwahati, on Monday, marking a significant step in combating wildlife trafficking.Those arrested have been identified as Sontosh Chouhan (49) and Sonu Sahu (22).

According to authorities, the accused allegedly smuggled the turtle from an area near the Kaziranga National Park and Tiger Reserve (KNPTR) while travelling from Upper Assam to the EPIP. The Amingaon police outpost in-charge stated, “Based on information from reliable sources, police got to know about the possession of an Indian flapshell turtle and nabbed the duo on Monday. They came to the EPIP for loading goods. During preliminary investigation, they revealed that they found the turtle in the middle of the road near KNPTR and “rescued” it later to hand over to the forest department.”
Following their arrest, the accused were handed over to the forest department. Chandan Rajkhowa, the range officer of Sila in the North Kamrup forest division, confirmed that the individuals were presented before a court on Tuesday and are currently in judicial custody.