Man mows down blackbuck, gets bail

CHENNAI: A man was arrested and let off in a day after he mowed down a blackbuck on the Raj Bhavan premises on Saturday.
K R S Anandha Kumar, 60, a relative of former TN congress president K V Thankabalu, had gone to the Raj Bhavan to invite a friend for his 60th birthday. After giving the invite, he was going towards the exit around 7 p.m. When his car, a Toyota Prius, was passing near the fire station, it hit a blackbuck.The animal got caught under the wheels and was crushed to death instantly, official sources said.
One of the residents alerted wildlife authorities residing on the premises. A guard rushed to the spot and ascertained that the animal was indeed a blackbuck, protected under Schedule I of the Wildlife Protection Act, 1972. (If spotted deer deaths are caused inadvertantly, the offenders are fined and let off).
Officials said Anandha Kumar did not bother to stop his car and he was stopped at the gate and the vehicle sezied. A case under non-bailable sections was charged. The authorities detained him and a magistrate remanded him in judicial custody on Sunday. However, Anandha Kumar secured bail on Monday after the magistrate used his discretionary powers to release him.
Police said a detailed investigation was on. Sources said Raj Bhavan employees and those residing on the campus exercised due care while driving cars and riding two-wheelers as blackbuck and deer crossings were regular features of the woodded place.