Bus hits deer, driver fined for carrying animal for 83 km

According to police, Ravi, a government bus driver, while on duty, knocked down a deer and then carried it in his vehicle for 83 km.

Police said that the one-and-half-year-old spotted deer attempted to cross the Chennai–Bengaluru National Highway from the Kannigapuram reserve forest near Ambur, when it was hit by a Kancheepuram-bound Tamil Nadu State Transport Corporation (TNSTC) bus from Bengaluru driven by Ravi. Ravi immediately halted the vehicle and took the injured deer into the bus before resuming the journey. On seeing this, passengers in the bus alerted the Ranipet and Wallajahpet police.

While the bus neared the Wallajahpet toll plaza, the police stopped the bus and found the injured deer inside. The police then alerted the Ranipet forest department staff, who rushed to the spot and retrieved the deer. First-aid was administered to the injured animal and later it was sent to the mini zoological park at Amirthi, 20 km from Vellore.

Meanwhile, as Ravi did not give a proper explanation for why he carried the deer for 83 km, police detained him and the bus. Passengers were shifted to another bus.

Forest officials slapped a fine of Rs 10,000 on the driver for carrying the deer without obtaining permission. Forest and police officials allowed Ravi to depart with the bus only after he paid the fine.

Sources added that the officials suspected that Ravi might have carried the animal with an intention to consume the meat.