A vehicle belonging to the state-run Jungle Lodges and Resorts (JLR) crushed a spotted deer to death in the herbivore safari of Bannerghatta Biological Park on Tuesday evening, the day when the park is closed for visitors. Park officials have booked a case against the driver Krishnamurthy who was picking up JLR officials around 6.30 pm, who were visiting the resort for a scheduled meeting. Park Executive Director Dr R. Raju said permission was granted to move inside the herbivore safari in view of the meeting. “The driver is being questioned by the RFO of the safari area. The roads inside the safari are narrow and we are trying to find out if the driver was overspeeding. We have seized the vehicle and are investigating,” he added.
This is the fourth such accident inside the Park. Earlier, a tiger cub and two adult sloth bears were injured by speeding safari vehicles belonging to KSTDC. After these accidents, the BBP had issued a notice to KSTDC to install cameras and speed governors on safari vehicles. There is a separate road to reach JLR property from the Tiger Rescue Centre and Bear Safari boundary, but since it is in poor condition, vehicles have to pass through the herbivore safari area. “On Tuesdays, the park is closed and safari trips are not conducted. It’s possible that the deer herd was on the road and the driver rammed the herd killing the female deer on the spot,” said a park worker.