Wayanad: A KSRTC Scania bus en route to Bengaluru from Thiruvananthapuram hit a deer at Kalloor, near Muthanga, early Saturday morning. The incident happened on the National Highway 766, which passes through the Sulthan Bathery range of the Wayanad Wildlife Sanctuary.

According to authorities, the accident happened after the bus continued its journey after dropping a few passengers around 6 am at the Sulthan Bathery KSRTC depot. While crossing the forest stretch near Muthanga, the vehicle hit the last of a herd of deer that suddenly darted across the road in foggy conditions. The driver stopped immediately, but the animal had already been struck. Motorcyclists following the bus alerted the crew to the incident.

Forest officials later arrived at the scene and took the bus into custody. It is currently held within the compound of the Wildlife Warden’s office near Sulthan Bathery.

The bus and its crew have been booked under sections of the Wildlife Protection Act, 1972. These include Section 9 (hunting), which carries a minimum three-year jail term and fines, and Section 39, which mandates the seizure of any vehicle involved in the unlawful killing of wildlife.

Range Officer Kannan confirmed that releasing the vehicle would involve a prolonged legal process. “The bus must be produced in court, and a bond must be executed before bail can be granted,” he said.

Meanwhile, the KSRTC officials arranged alternate transport for the 19 stranded passengers within half an hour of the incident.

A senior KSRTC official told Onmanorama that wildlife accidents involving their buses are extremely rare. “Our interstate drivers are mostly from Kozhikode and Wayanad and are familiar with forest routes. Forest authorities also acknowledged this and handled the situation fairly,” he said.

KSRTC Chief Law Officer S Radhakrishnan assured that steps were already underway to secure the vehicle’s release. “We are coordinating with local officials to expedite the process,” he added.