Gundlupet: A speeding truck fatally knocked down a female elephant aged about 35 years on National Highway-766 (212) inside Bandipur Reserve Forest yesterday night and the elephant breathed its last after writing in pain for an hour on the road.

The accident took place on Gundlupet-Kerala National Highway-766 between Maddur check-post and Moolehole check-post at about 8.30 pm.

Details: The speeding truck (TN-99-C-7677), which was coming from Kerala side to Mysuru, hit the elephant which was crossing the road. The elephant, which fell on the road due to serious injuries, was writhing in pain.

Bandipur Veterinarians and Forest officials, who rushed to the spot, began to treat the elephant in a bid to save its life but in vain. The injured elephant breathed its last after struggling for an hour on the road, sources said.

It is learnt that rash and negligent driving was the cause for the elephant’s death. As night traffic is banned on the National Highway, that passed through Bandipur Tiger Reserve from 9 pm, as there will be more movement of wildlife, most motorists enter the check-posts within 9 pm and speed on the road to cross over the next post and move further.

Here too, the truck driver is said to have entered the forest at about 8 pm and was speeding on the National Highway inside the forest area to reach the other check-post during which he reportedly hit the female elephant which was crossing the road inside the forest at about 8.30 pm. The injured elephant which fell on the road struggled for an hour and breathed its last at about 9.30 pm.

The Forest Department officials have taken the truck driver and his assistant into custody and have taken future course of action. Post-mortem of the elephant will be conducted today.

Night traffic ban

Night traffic has been banned on Gundlupet-Ooty NH-67 and on Gundlupet-Kerala NH-766 that passes inside the Forest from 9 pm to 6 am as movement of wild animals is more during this time. But the Kerala Government had asked the Centre seeking revoking of the ban as this route was very much necessary to transport goods between the two States.

But the Supreme Court on Aug. 7, 2019, directed the continuation of the overnight traffic ban on the NH running through the core area of the Bandipur Tiger Reserve.

The Court relied upon the suggestions given by the National Tiger Conservation Authority (NTCA) and other experts views for the continuance of the ban on traffic between 9 pm and 6 am on the NH-212, saying, “we need to accept it at present.”