Four animal smugglers arrested in UP's Bahraich

Four wildlife smugglers were arrested on Friday after a softshell turtle, an Asian forest tortoise, and reptile-catching equipment were found in their possession, police said.

The accused, Sheru Kumar, Pintu, Ajay, and Anil, were arrested from the Jhinjhaghat area here, they said.

They are residents of Mansoorganj and were smuggling the animals out of the city, the police said.

All four were booked under relevant sections of the Wildlife Protection Act.

Both the softshell turtle and the Asian forest tortoise are listed as endangered reptile species by the International Union for Conservation of Nature.