Gujarat forest department seizes 77 tortoise/turtles in Vadodara


Vadodara

Gujarat government’s forest department has seized 77 tortoise and turtles, which were sent to Vadodara from Mumbai illegally and detained one person in this case, forest officials said here today.

“We have detained Bhavin Patel, who illegally carried 77 tortoise and turtles in a bag from Mumbai to Vadodara,” Range Forest Officer V B Chauhan said.

About 50 were turtles(that live in water), and rest were tortoise(pahadi kachhua that live on land).

Patel was caught at Baroda dairy crossing in Makarpura area of the city yesterday and a case was registered against him.

During preliminary investigation, Patel said that he had purchased the turtles from Mumbai.

The case came to light when animal activist Neha Patel got an information about it from her Mumbai counterpart and informed the local forest department which had kept a watch in Makarpura area of the city from where the accused was nabbed.

© with inputs from PTI