A spotted deer rescued from a populated area of Mongla in Bagerhat has been released back into the Sundarbans. The forest department rescued the deer from the Telikhali area of Chila union in the upazila at noon on Sunday, 1 February. The department is investigating whether the deer swam the river to reach the village or was brought there by poachers.

Dipan Chandra Das, assistant conservator of forests at the Chandpai range of the East Sundarbans, said local people alerted the forest department after seeing a spotted deer running about in Telikhali, Chila union, at noon on Sunday. Forest department staff rescued it that afternoon with the help of local people. As the deer was healthy, the department released it back into the forest.

Local people, however, said the deer crossed the Pashur river and came into Telikhali at some point on Sunday, and then ran around the area.

The forest department does not accept this account. Forest official Dipan Chandra Das said it is in no way possible for a deer to cross such a large river as the Pashur and come into a village. The initial assumption is rather that poachers caught the deer and brought it there, then let it go when someone spotted them. He said the matter is still being investigated.

Source: Jagonews24. First published in Bengali on The Agro News.