Mangalore: Police Arrest Two for Attempt to Sell Rare Tortoise
Pics: Dayanand Kukkaje
Daijiworld Media Network—Mangalore (RS/CN)
Mangalore, Dec 5: The special squad of the superintendent of police arrested two people on Saturday December 5 for attempting to sell a star tortoise, which is in great demand in the international market.
The arrested were identified as Mohammed Masood (20) and Puttumonu (34), residents of Manjotti, near Addoor. They were arrested near Polali Dwara on the Mangalore-Moodbidri road.
The star tortoise has star-like markings on its body and is a rare species.
The police arrested them on receiving information of a deal in which the tortoise was to be sold for Rs 2 lac. According to the police, Masood came across the tortoise in the Gurupur River while he was engaged in some other work.
“Star tortoises can fetch more than Rs 5 lac each”, said Prakash, sub-inspector of the squad.
The men and the tortoise are in the custody of Bajpe police and a case has been registered