Speed Post News Network
Jamui: Rail police seized about 160 tortoise packed in bags and cartons from a compartment of Haridwar-Howrah Express on Saturday at Jhajha railway station on Kiul-Jasidih section of East- Central Railway (ECR) in Jamui district.
During regular check of bags and bundles, some thick cartons and bags were found lying near the toilet of the train. On inquiry, no one came forward to claim them. Police took them under their custody and got the cartons and bags unloaded from the compartment of the train. When they were opened on the platform, live tortoise were found inside the cartons and bags.
All the seized tortoise were sent to Jamui forest department for their care. An official of the forest department said that they had received the tortoise from the rail police on Saturday and had been put into in an artificial tank filled with water after digging the earth. Meanwhile, a retired drug controller said bones of the tortoise are used by drug manufacturers for preparing sex stimulating drugs.
Jhajha rail police said that the tortoise were being taken to West Bengal by smugglers for supplying them to the drug manufacturers as the train was bound for Howrah.