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Two protected Indian roofed turtles rescued in Baddi, shop owner booked
Upon verifying the information, Sahil promptly took up the matter with Divisional Forest Officer (DFO) Vikalp Yadav, who deputed Range Officer Negi to assist in the operation.
The turtles were rescued and handed over to the Wildlife Department, they said. (representational image)
A local shop owner in Himachal Pradesh’s Baddi was booked on Thursday for unlawfully keeping two Indian roofed turtles, protected under Schedule-1 of The Wildlife Protection Act, 1972, police said on Friday.
The turtles were rescued and handed over to the Wildlife Department, they said.
Police said the accused shop owner, Charanjit Arora, was booked under sections 9, 39, 40, 51 and 57 of the Wildlife Protection Act, 1972, at the Baddi police station.
Schedule I of the Indian Wildlife (Protection) Act, 1972, provides the highest level of protection to endangered species against hunting, poaching, and trade. Violations involving these species attract the harshest penalties, including 3-7 years of imprisonment and significant fines.
According to officials, the turtles, kept in highly unsuitable conditions in a small aquarium, lacked essential provisions like basking space and UV light. As a result, both animals showed visible signs of health deterioration, including shell-related infections. One of the turtles is a juvenile, only a few months old, while the other is an adult, around 10 years old.
The action was initiated based on an online complaint by Sahil Sharma, an environmentalist and wildlife rescuer from Rajpura, Punjab, who has actively been involved in rescuing and protecting wildlife and raising awareness against illegal wildlife trade across the north region, officials said.
Upon verifying the information, Sahil promptly took up the matter with Divisional Forest Officer (DFO) Vikalp Yadav, who deputed Range Officer Negi to assist in the operation.
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