Wildlife Smuggler Caught With Threatened Tortoise in Uttar Pradesh

The Uttar Pradesh Special Task Force (STF) has successfully apprehended a man allegedly involved in the illegal smuggling of wildlife, recovering a rare species of tortoise, officials reported on Wednesday.

Vishal Mishra, hailing from the Aliganj area in Lucknow, was arrested based on a tip-off near Nirala Nagar on Tuesday, according to authorities. He was found in possession of a Geochelone Elegans, or Indian Star Tortoise, a threatened species protected by the Wildlife Protection Act.

In addition to the tortoise, officials seized a mobile phone and a scooter. The STF, having gathered intelligence about a smuggling ring dealing in wildlife and body parts, acted swiftly under Inspector Santosh Kumar Singh and DSP Avanishwar, Chandra Srivastava's leadership to capture Mishra. The investigation continues as the STF seeks to dismantle the broader smuggling operation.