Balaghat Forest Team Busts Superstition Racket; Nine Held With Two Protected Turtles

Balaghat: In a major operation, the Balaghat Forest Department has apprehended nine individuals involved in a superstition-based ritual claiming to bring wealth using turtles. Acting on a tip-off, the forest team intercepted a Scorpio carrying two live turtles, a Schedule-1 protected species under the Wildlife Protection Act, intended for ritualistic use.

Caught Red-Handed

The arrest took place on the Kosmara-Lanji route, where the forest squad had received intelligence about a suspicious vehicle. The team stopped the Scorpio (MP 39 BB 1128) and, upon inspection, found the turtles concealed in a bag. The nine accused were identified as Ashish Mandlekar, Chainlal Thakre, Komal Bisen, Rajaram Meshram, Vishnu Bisen, Rajesh Bavne, Sasendra Chandel, Deepak Chauhan, and Shriram Nageshwar, all residents of Lanji and Kiranpur.

Superstition Masquerading as Crime

During interrogation, the suspects admitted that they were attempting tantric rituals with the turtles to invoke wealth. Officials emphasized that such beliefs are completely baseless, yet the practice is fueling the illegal capture and trade of wildlife.

Schedule-1 Species: Serious Offense

Turtles fall under Schedule-1 of the Wildlife Protection Act, and hunting, transportation, or trade of these species constitutes a serious offense, punishable with stringent imprisonment and fines. The forest department has registered cases against all nine accused and initiated further legal proceedings.