Latest news with #AdiakkalasamyVadivel
New Paper
6 days ago
- Health
- New Paper
Over 2,500 turtles seized in India sent back to S'pore, put down
More than 2,500 turtles found in the luggage of a man travelling to India were sent back to Singapore and put down by the authorities after they were found to be infected with the salmonella bacterium. The man, identified as 26-year-old Adiakkalasamy Vadivel, is believed to be part of an international animal smuggling ring, and was on his way to the southern Indian city of Bengaluru in Karnataka state, Indian daily The Hindu reported on July 13. Customs officials in Bengaluru's Kempegowda International Airport caught the man and found the turtles in his check-in baggage on July 12, the report added. It also said the man had said he was asked to hand over the turtles to someone waiting outside the airport. In response to queries, Singapore's National Parks Board (NParks) said: "Indian authorities deported the red-eared sliders back to Singapore and more than 300 of the over 2,500 red-eared sliders that were retrieved did not survive." The turtles were then sent to the NParks Centre for Wildlife Rehabilitation, where a veterinarian assessed them and found they were infected with pathogenic salmonella. In humans, the bacterium can lead to an acute onset of fever, abdominal pain, diarrhoea, nausea and, sometimes, vomiting. Symptoms are usually mild, but in children and elderly patients, the associated dehydration can become severe and life-threatening, said the World Health Organisation on its website. NParks said the bacterium poses a public health and biosecurity concern and that is why the turtles were "humanely put down and disposed of to prevent the potential spread of disease". The red-eared slider is a semi-aquatic turtle native to North America, and is considered an invasive species in many parts of the world. In Singapore, it is illegal to release red-eared sliders into ponds and reservoirs.
The Star
6 days ago
- Health
- The Star
2,500 turtles seized in India and sent back to Singapore, put down humanely after salmonella detected
Red-eared sliders are considered an invasive species. - ST file SINGAPORE: More than 2,500 turtles found in the luggage of a man travelling to India were sent back to Singapore and put down by the authorities after they were found to be infected with the salmonella bacterium. The man, identified as 26-year-old Adiakkalasamy Vadivel, is believed to be part of an international animal smuggling ring, and was on his way to the southern Indian city of Bengaluru in Karnataka state, Indian daily The Hindu reported on July 13. Customs officials in Bengaluru's Kempegowda International Airport caught the man and found the turtles in his check-in baggage on July 12, the report added. It also said the man had said he was asked to hand over the turtles to someone waiting outside the airport. In response to queries, Singapore's National Parks Board (NParks) said: 'Indian authorities deported the red-eared sliders back to Singapore and more than 300 of the over 2,500 red-eared sliders that were retrieved did not survive.' The turtles were then sent to the NParks Centre for Wildlife Rehabilitation, where a veterinarian assessed them and found they were infected with pathogenic salmonella. In humans, the bacterium can lead to an acute onset of fever, abdominal pain, diarrhoea, nausea and, sometimes, vomiting. Symptoms are usually mild, but in children and elderly patients, the associated dehydration can become severe and life-threatening, said the World Health Organisation on its website. NParks said the bacterium poses a public health and biosecurity concern and that is why the turtles were 'humanely put down and disposed of to prevent the potential spread of disease'. The red-eared slider is a semi-aquatic turtle native to North America, and is considered an invasive species in many parts of the world. In Singapore, it is illegal to release red-eared sliders into ponds and reservoirs. - The Straits Times/ANN
Straits Times
7 days ago
- Health
- Straits Times
2,500 turtles seized in India and sent back to S'pore, put down humanely after salmonella detected
Find out what's new on ST website and app. SINGAPORE - More than 2,500 turtles found in the luggage of a man travelling to India were sent back to Singapore and put down by the authorities after they were found to be infected with salmonella bacteria. The man, identified as 26-year-old Adiakkalasamy Vadivel, is believed to be part of an international animal smuggling ring, and was on his way to the south Indian city of Bengaluru in Karnataka state, Indian daily The Hindu reported on July 13. Customs officials in Bengaluru's Kempegowda International Airport caught the man and found the turtles in his check-in baggage on July 12, the report added. It also said the man had said he was asked to hand over the turtles to someone waiting outside the airport. In response to queries, the National Parks Board (NParks) said: 'Indian authorities deported the red-eared sliders back to Singapore and more than 300 of the over 2,500 red-eared sliders that were retrieved did not survive.' The turtles were then sent to the NParks Centre for Wildlife Rehabilitation, where a veterinarian assessed them and found they were infected with pathogenic salmonella. In humans, the bacteria can lead to an acute onset of fever, abdominal pain, diarrhoea, nausea and sometimes vomiting. Symptoms are usually mild but in children and elderly patients, the associated dehydration can become severe and life-threatening, said the World Health Organisation on its website. NParks said the bacterium poses a public health and biosecurity concern and that is why the turtles were 'humanely put down and disposed of to prevent the potential spread of disease'. The red-eared slider is a semi-aquatic turtle native to North America , and is considered an invasive species in many parts of the world . In Singapore, it is illegal to release them into ponds and reservoirs.
The Hindu
12-07-2025
- The Hindu
Bengaluru customs nab T.N. man carrying 2547 red-eared slider turtles from Singapore
The Customs department officials at the Kempegowda International Airport in Bengaluru caught a 26-year-old man carrying 2547 red-eared slider turtles in his passenger check-in bag on Saturday. The passenger identified as Adiakkalasamy Vadivel, a native of Thanjavur in Tamil Nadu, was caught as soon as he landed from Singapore. According to officials, 517 out of 2547 turtles were found dead, due to suffocation. The accused is a mule working for an international wild animal smuggling racket. The officials are looking into how Vadivel hoodwinked Singapore Customs officials to smuggle wildlife in his backpack. He told the officials that he was asked to handover the bag to a person waiting outside KIA. The import of these live animals is a violation of Export-Import (EXIM) Policy and punishable under the Customs Act, 1962, the officials said. The sleuths have initiated the process to deport the rescued animals to Singapore, after obtaining a deportation certificate from the Animal Quarantine Department, while dead animals will be disposed of as per the standard procedures.
