The Railway Protection Force (RPF) seized 400 turtles from the Shamshi railway station in Bhalka in Malda on Sunday evening.

These turtles of the endangered variety were recovered from the gunny bag of one Ram Dey (35), a resident of Behrampore, who has been booked under the Wildlife Protection Act.

The turtles were handed over to the District Forest Officer (DFO) who later released them in the deer rescue centre at Abani forest.

Five of these Schedule I turtles were dead, said a state forest official, while adding that Dey had brought the turtles from Uttar Pradesh.

“We are conducting medical investigation to ascertain the cause of death of the five turtles. The man was booked under the Wildlife Protection Act and produced in court. He is in judicial custody,” said Malda DFO, A K Singh.

On the alleged illegal trade of turtles, former DFO, Ranjendra Jakkar said: “The stretch in Habipur Bloak in the Dakshin Dinajour area near Bangladesh is a hub for such illegal activities.

It seems these turtles were brought here from Sultanpur in Uttar Pradesh. Every month, at least one such seizure is made by forest officials.”