Vehicle mows down spotted deer in Bandipur

A speeding vehicle struck and killed a spotted deer on the Mysore-Wayanad highway (NH 212), early on Wednesday morning.

Forest officials who visited the area believe that the incident took place at around 7 am. “The impact was such that the carcass was scattered all over the place, indicating that the vehicle was being driven at a very high speed,” said the range forest officer investigating the accident.

According to a release from the office of director and conservator of forests of the Bandipur Tiger Reserve, a High Court order bans traffic from being present on the highway  from 9 pm to 6 am everyday. The move was done to facilitate the movement of animals across the reserve.

The incident has prompted the Forest Department to issue a final notice to the national highway authorities to put up sufficient speed brakers on the road or face action.

Earlier, the highway authorities had made several requests to place speed-breakers at all places where the animals generally cross the road. Since then, the highway authorities have failed to carry through with their request, leading to the deaths of several wild animals on this particular stretch, Forest Department officials said.

A departmental release explained that similiar speed breakers and other measures placed on the Mysore-Ooty NH 67, had drastically reduced the number of road accidents.