311 Endangered Turtles Smuggled in AC First-Class Coach Seized at Bhopal Station

In a significant crackdown on wildlife trafficking, authorities seized 311 rare and endangered turtles from an AC First-Class coach of the 19322 Patna–Indore Express at Sant Hirdaram railway station in Bhopal. The operation was conducted jointly by the Madhya Pradesh State Tiger Strike Force, the Railway Protection Force, and the Bhopal Forest Division. Officials described the seizure as a major breakthrough in dismantling an interstate smuggling network.

Investigators revealed that the racket sourced turtles from rivers in Uttar Pradesh, particularly the Ganga and Gomti and their tributaries, before transporting them covertly via premium railway compartments to Madhya Pradesh. The turtles were allegedly concealed with the help of a coach attendant, Ajay Singh Rajput, who is suspected of acting as a courier for the syndicate. Authorities believe the use of AC First-Class coaches was a calculated attempt to avoid routine inspections.

Among the rescued species were Crowned River Turtles, Indian Tent Turtles, and Indian Roofed Turtles, all protected under the Wildlife Protection Act, 1972. Wildlife officials reported that many of the animals were found in suffocating conditions, dehydrated and stressed after prolonged confinement. Experts warn that such illegal extraction severely disrupts fragile river ecosystems, where turtles serve as natural scavengers maintaining aquatic balance.

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The investigation soon expanded beyond Madhya Pradesh. A 17-and-a-half-year-old suspect was detained in Lucknow and later sent to a detention home in Bhopal, with officials indicating his links to a broader poaching network operating across districts including Kanpur, Unnao, Sultanpur, and Amethi. The alleged kingpin, identified as Asif Khan from Dewas district, was arrested on February 10 after evading capture for several days and has since been remanded for interrogation.

Authorities suspect the racket has been active for several years, using railway routes to supply illegal wildlife markets across Madhya Pradesh, Gujarat, and Maharashtra. Previous nationwide crackdowns, including “Operation Kachchhap,” have uncovered similar trafficking attempts, some with alleged international links to markets in Southeast Asia. Under Indian law, trafficking protected species can attract imprisonment of up to seven years along with financial penalties, reinforcing the seriousness of wildlife crime in the country.

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