Chamarajanagar (Karnataka): A female elephant was killed after being hit by a speeding truck in Bandipur Tiger Reserve area on Wednesday. Police sources said that the truck hit the elephant which was standing on the road and the impact of the collision was such that the animal died on the spot. The truck driver has been arrested and the truck has been seized, police said.
They further revealed that the driver had violated the night travel prohibition by the Karnataka government and was driving through the tiger reserve. The movement of heavy vehicles is banned at night in the Bandipur Tiger Reserve area to ensure the safety of wild animals. The Forest Department sleuths rushed to the spot and arrested the driver.
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The environmentalists slammed the forest authorities for allowing the vehicle inside the reserve forest at the night. The issue of allowing the movement of heavy vehicles during the night in Bandipur reserve forest has been a bone of contention between Kerala and Karnataka states. Kerala state has been demanding to open the road for the movement of vehicles and even approached the courts also. However, the Karnataka government has taken a firm stand in not allowing any movement of heavy vehicles on the forest stretch.
