Bengaluru: Bannerghatta Zoo lorry overturns, crocodiles escape into residential areas

A lorry transporting animals, including white tigers and crocodiles, from Patna to Bengaluru, crashed in Telangana, causing some animals to escape. Two crocodiles entered nearby residential areas, sparking concern. All animals were recaptured, and the driver was charged for speeding and fatigue.

A lorry transporting various animals, including two white tigers and eight crocodiles, from the Sanjay Gandhi Biological Park in Patna, Bihar, to the Bannerghatta Biological Park in Bengaluru, Karnataka, met with an accident near a village in Telangana on National Highway 44. The vehicle rammed into an electric pole, causing the animals to break free from their cages. While most were recaptured quickly, some crocodiles managed to enter nearby inhabited areas, leaving residents anxious.

The incident occurred on Thursday evening near Mondigutta village in Telangana, when the lorry, reportedly speeding, lost control and overturned. Two crocodiles managed to escape into the residential zone, prompting authorities to issue warnings. Residents have been advised to keep children indoors during nighttime, and farmers have been urged not to venture into the fields alone until the situation is under control.

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Forest officials, along with local police and residents, acted swiftly to contain the situation. All the animals, including the escaped crocodiles, were eventually captured and transferred safely to Bannerghatta National Park in Bengaluru in another vehicle.

The driver of the lorry, identified as Abdul Mannan Mandal (51), a resident of Sankpur, West Bengal, has been charged in connection with the accident. Police reported that the driver was exhausted after covering long distances without assistance, which likely contributed to the crash. Superintendent of Police, Janaki Sharmila, confirmed that speeding was a major factor in the incident.