Jharigam: Forest officials Thursday seized at least 115 tortoises from this block in Nabarangpur district while the reptiles were being smuggled in here from neighbouring Kalahandi district. Two persons were arrested in this connection.
The two, Baburam Haldar and Premchand Bauli, hail from Raighar block of the district. They would be produced in a local court at Umerkote.
Forest officials said, following a tip-off, they laid an ambush near Kelapadar forest beat and intercepted two suspicious-looking motorcyclists carrying sacks. As the bikers tried to over-speed rather than stopping, they were given a chase by officials, leading to their arrest at Chho village.
The arrested said they have been smuggling tortoises from Kalahandi district via Chaklapadar Dahimal.
Of the 115 tortoises seized from the two, seven were found dead and the remaining have been released into the Indravati river.
