Malkanagiri; Chitarakonda Forest Department has seized a pick-up carrying a turtle after receiving information from a source in Chitarakonda Block Rajulkonda, Malkangiri District. According to the information received, the turtle was being smuggled from Narsingpatnam in Andhra Pradesh to Kalimela in a pickup truck (track number AP 39 NS1566). According to the information obtained from the forest department, 498 turtles were being transported in this lane and their estimated weight would be more than 1 ton. The Chitrakonda forest department caught the two smugglers while trying to escape. The names of these two persons are Prasanjit Gharmi and Sandeep Bepari and their house is known as MPV-96 of Kalimela area. It is not yet clear why so many turtles were being smuggled and how many others were involved in the racket. Chitrakonda Forest Range Officer Balaram Naik, under the leadership of forester Niranjan Saraka has been seized with the help of all the staff.
