Mumbai: An adult doe from the Sanjay Gandhi National Park, Borivali died on Friday when it was knocked down by an autorickshaw on the Western Express Highway at Goregaon.
Eyewitnesses said the incident took place between around 12.30 a.m. near Aarey Colony. The deer ran straight into the path of an oncoming autorickshaw, which overturned injuring the driver.
Santosh Shinde, founder, Spreading Awareness on Reptiles and Rehabilitation Programme, said a volunteer received a call about the incident. They also informed the Thane Forest Division control room of the Forest Department and Vanrai police station about the incident.“Some locals took the deer in an autorickshaw to a veterinary clinic in Jogeshwari. The team at SARRP then hired an ambulance and took the deer back to the Sanjay Gandhi National Park along with an officer from Vanrai police station,” Mr. Shinde added.
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A member of the wildlife rescue team said the deer was badly injured. The deer has been kept at the taxidermy centre in the national park as an official report from the police is awaited for post mortem. The autorickshaw driver has been hospitalised.
Dr. Shailesh Pethe, veterinarian at the Sanjay Gandhi National Park, said, “The deer was dead on its arrival at the Sanjay Gandhi National Park at around 2 am."