Patna, Jan 3 (IANS) Three women were arrested on Sunday for smuggling over 300 turtles from Bihar's Rohtas district, police said.

"We have seized over 300 turtles and arrested three women who were part of a gang smuggling rare turtles in a train at Sasaram railway station," said Government Railway Police official Vinod Kumar Singh.

The three women, who hail from Uttar Pradesh, told police that seven sacks full of turtles were brought from Allahabad and they were to hand them over to a man in Asansol in West Bengal.

The rare species of turtles had distinct star marks on their shells.

India banned the trade of turtles under the Wildlife Protection Act, 1972.