The Rachakonda police on Wednesday seized 286 star tortoises and 160 red-eared slider tortoises brought from Andhra Pradesh to Hyderabad for sale. While star turtles are an endangered species, red-eared slider turtles are common as pets.
Two aquarium business owners – MD. 39-year-old Siraj Ahmed of New Shine Aquarium and 50-year-old Shaik Jani of famous aquarium were arrested by Malkajgiri Special Operation Team (SOT). Efforts are on to arrest the main supplier, Vijay Kumar of Andhra Pradesh. Acting on a tip-off, officials raided the famous aquarium in Peerjadiguda and found that star tortoises were being sold illegally in violation of the Wildlife Protection Act, 1972. Five such turtles were recovered from the spot. During interrogation, Sheikh Jani revealed that he bought the turtle from Siraj Ahmed. Authorities then raided New Shine Aquarium in Malakpet and found 160 red-eared slider turtles and 281 star turtles in its warehouse.
Investigation revealed that Siraj Ahmed took these turtles from Vijay Kumar and sold them to selected customers. The arrested have been handed over to Uppal Forest Range Officer (FRO) for further action.
published – December 25, 2024 at 09:00 hrs IST