The state forest department and South Dinajpur district police acted on a tip-off to conduct a joint raid and seized 103 turtles from a private bus on Sunday.

Three persons, including two women, were arrested in this connection. All of them are residents of Uttar Pradesh.

Sources said the arrested trio of Binod Kanjad, Sangita Kanjad and Isha Kanjad, who are from Sultanpur of Uttar Pradesh, boarded a Balurghat-bound private bus from Dalkhola of North Dinajpur.

They had been carrying some bags. Soon after they boarded the bus, other passengers felt that the bags were emanating a strange smell.

Passengers informed the police. The forest department was informed. A joint team intercepted the bus in the Jordighi area of Bansihari police station.

As the bags were searched, 103 Indian flap-shell turtles were found inside. The trio were nabbed by foresters and handed over to the police.

The trio was on their way to Gangarampur. The police suspect that they had plans to smuggle the turtles to Bangladesh.

The trio was taken into police custody. On Monday, they will be produced at a local court in Gangarampur, sources said.

“The forest department will also file a petition in court so that the turtles can be released into a natural habitat,” said a source in the department.

The International Union for Conservation of Nature, which mentions the status of different animal species, has termed the Indian Flap-Shell Turtle as a vulnerable species.

“These turtles are found in some southeast Asian countries and need to be conserved,” the source added.