MUMBAI: A car belonging to Shiv Sena MP Rajendra Gavit knocked down and killed a spotted deer at the Sanjay Gandhi National Park (SGNP) here, an official said on Monday.
Gavit, the Lok Sabha member from Palghar near Mumbai, was not in the vehicle when the incident took place last Wednesday evening near the main gate of the park, he said.
The spotted deer was crossing a road near Trimurti station, a part of the Van Rani narrow gauge train route in the national park, when it was run over by the vehicle, the official said.
“A case has been registered against one person for rash driving and investigation is in progress,” said the chief conservator of forest and SGNP Director Anwar Ahmed. He didn’t divulge any other details.
Many vehicles enter the SGNP from Khindi pada road on the central suburb side of Bhandup and exit from the main gate at Borivali in the western suburb in order to avoid heavy traffic on arterial roads of the city.
This causes accidents in the national park and many wild animals die, say sources at the park. Though the road is closed for general traffic, officials from the police department, BMC and the politicians regularly use this road. No firm steps have been taken against the use of this road despite of several complaints and agitations, activists have said.
The current incident happened on Wednesday evening at around 6.30 pm, the time when park is closed for common public. The car was heading towards the SGNP main gate when it knocked down the deer near Gandhi tekdi.
The driver informed SGNP staff about the accident at the main gate and the deer was rushed to SGNP veterinary hospital where it was declared dead, said the sources.
It was not known whether Gavit was in the vehicle when the incident took place. Activists suspect that the incident might have involved more animals.
(With PTI inputs)