Agatti (Lakshadweep), Nov 29 (PTI) Four fishermen from Tamil Nadu have been arrested by forest officials here and remanded in judicial custody for the illegal purchase of 10 endangered porcupine rays -- a schedule-I species according to the Wildlife Protection Act.

The purchased marine species -- whose scientific name is Urogymnus asperrimus -- together weighed about 424 kilograms and were recovered from a vessel which was only authorised to collect fish from the Lakshadweep islands and to transport them to the mainland, a forest officer said.

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"In spite of the conditions stipulated by the Department of Fisheries not to collect or transport any wildlife scheduled species they were trying to transport the rare Porcupine rays due to their very high market value," the release said.

The forest department is investigating the case to try and find out from whom they purchased the rare marine species, a forest officer said.

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He also said that the four fishermen were probably not aware that these were endangered and protected species of fish. They were arrested on the basis of a tip-off received from the flying squad division, the officer said.

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