BY TC News Desk
Agartala, October 31: A man who was allegedly smuggling turtles in a bag in the capital town of Agartala dropped one of the turtles on the road and fled from the scene on Tuesday. The locals who witnessed the incident rescued the turtle and released it in a nearby pond.
According to sources, the man was carrying a bag full of turtles in the area adjacent to the Pratapgarh hanging bridge around 10 am. He was walking towards the market, where turtle meat is sold illegally despite the state government’s ban. However, one of the turtles managed to get out of the bag and fell on the road, attracting the attention of the passers-by.
The locals who saw the turtle on the road realized that the man was smuggling turtles and tried to catch him. However, the man ran away leaving his bag behind. The locals opened the bag and found several more turtles inside. They rescued the turtles and took them to a pond in Lakshminarayan’s house, where they set them free.
The locals said that they were shocked and angry to see such cruelty towards the turtles, which are endangered species. They said that they have informed the police and wildlife authorities about the incident and demanded action against the smuggler. They also urged the government to take strict measures to stop the illegal trade of turtle meat in the state.
