CHENNAI: A spotted deer was injured after being hit by a speeding vehicle while attempting to drink rainwater accumulated along Mappedu-Agaramthen road near Selaiyur, a suburb of Chennai, on Sunday night. The driver of the vehicle involved in the accident did not stop, leaving the deer in pain on the road.

The wounded animal continued to drink water from the roadside and quench its thirst. A few college students who were passing by found the deer and rescued it. They informed the Selaiyur police station but the police asked them to inform the Forest Department. Then the Tambaram forest department was alerted. About half an hour later, the officials came to the spot and took the injured deer to the hospital.

In light of a rising number of such incidents, the public have requested the forest department to take measures like setting up enough water facilities near forest boundaries, thus ensuring animals don’t have to cross roads or enter residential areas in order to quench their thirst.

Plenty of deer roam around in the suburbs of Chennai, such as Tambaram, Selaiyur, Anandapuram, Madambakkam, Agaramthen, Mappedu, Nedungundram, Sadanandapuram, and Alapakkam. These deer often stray in residential areas at night in search of food and water, which can lead to them being hit by vehicles and falling into wells.