The Forest Department arrested four individuals for allegedly poaching Indian Black turtles from Somavathi River and cooking the meat as part of a ritual following their grandmother’s death.
Details of the Incident
Acting on intelligence, officials raided the riverbank on Saturday and found the accused preparing to cook meat from four turtles. Partially burnt turtle carcasses were recovered from the scene.
Accused and Charges
The four accused are:
Manikantha (42)
Rajendra (54)
Vignesh (32)
Prashanth (35)
A case has been filed under relevant sections of the Wildlife Protection Act, and further investigation is ongoing.
Police and forest officials emphasized that poaching endangered species is a serious crime, regardless of cultural or ritualistic justifications.
