The police on Monday nabbed a 25-year-old woman and seized 35 star tortoises from her at the bus station at Valmikipuram mandal headquarters, 95 km from here. The unmarried woman, Gowramma, hailing from Shikaripalem of Chowdepalle mandal, arrived at Chintaparthi near Valmikipuram in the early hours and collected the tortoises, including babies, from one Raghu and was about to leave for Chintamani in Karnataka. It was then that Valmikipuram police took her into custody, finding her moving in suspicious circumstances. On opening the gunny sack in her possession, the tortoises started rolling out one after the other. Based on her confession, the police sent search parties to nab Raghu of Chintaparthi and Ravi of Chintamani in Karnataka. Gowramma told the police that she was into the clandestine transport of tortoises since a couple of years, being paid for her services by the poachers. These reptiles are said to be caught in the water ponds and rocky terrains of the hills in Madanapalle division. Police said this species is popular in the exotic pet trade. A case has been registered.
