Cuddalore: Two persons have been arrested on charges of poaching endangered turtles at Samadhikuppam in the district and four turtles have been recovered from their possession.
A volunteer of the Wildlife and nature conservation Trust (WNCT) spotted a four member gang, one of them a woman, involved in poaching turtles at Samadhikuppam, in Cuddalore district, a few days ago. He immediately alerted the forest department for intervention and to save the turtles.
“Although the gang was arrested by the department and the offence was non bailable, the officials reportedly let off two of the accused. The two arrested were produced before a local court in Cuddalore and remanded in custody,” said N. Sadiq, WCNT founder trustee.
Ali said the turtle species included one pond terapin and three flap shelled turtle both coming under schedule I of the Wildlife Protection Act, 1972. The Indian pond terapin turtle, which sustained injuries during the poaching, has been kept for observation at a veterinary hospital in the district.
The activist charged that one of the officials who arrested the gang harassed the informant on the ground that he should mind his business without keeping vigil on turtle poachers. The WCNT has taken up the matter with the chief wildlife warden for necessary action.
