Man held for possession of Indian star tortoise

Forest officials seized an Indian star tortoise, an endangered species, from a pet shop here and arrested the shop owner, an official said on Tuesday.

Shiva Nadar (32), owner of Balaji Aquarium in Vasant Vihar area, was booked under the Wildlife Protection and Protection of Animals Acts on Monday.

Nadar was found to have an Indian star tortoise at his shop, and he was planning to sell it as an exotic species, said deputy chief conservator of forest Dr Jitendra Ramgaonkar.

To possess or sell the Indian star tortoise is an offence, he said.

Forest officials were investigating from where Nadar procured the tortoise and whom he was planning to sell it, he said.