Spotted deer run over, dragged for a km in Pilibhit

Pilibhit: A male spotted deer was run over by a mini truck on the Pilibhit–Basti Road near the Mala forest range of Pilibhit Tiger Reserve on Thursday. The one-and-a-half-year-old animal was crossing the road when it was hit by the speeding vehicle.Forest officials said the truck did not stop and dragged the deer's body for nearly a kilometre. A forest team on patrol noticed the animal stuck to the truck and chased the vehicle. The truck was intercepted and the driver, Arvind Kumar taken into custody. Kumar was accompanied by his helper Siya Ram, both residents of Baheri tehsil in Bareilly district. Range officer Robin Kumar Singh said the two were charged under sections 9 and 51 of the Wildlife Protection Act and were sent to jail on Friday. The incident has once again drawn attention to frequent wildlife fatalities on roads passing through forest areas. When asked about the implementation of Supreme Court's directions banning night traffic on core forest areas, principal chief conservator of forests (wildlife), UP, Anuradha Vemuri said they were going to implement it.