Mumbai: It was not even Christmas eve but it rained deer through the roof of a family's house at midnight on Saturday in Powai. Karan Parihar Singh was taken aback to spot a large spotted deer in his kitchen, struggling to find its feet, stunned by the fall.
Like every other day, Singh was in the room of his chawl at the Hanuman Tekdi slum colony in Powai.
He was watching television, while the rest of his family was sleeping. Around 12.30am, they were startled awake by a noise which sounded like the roof had come crashing down - the stuff of which nightmares are made of - only to find out that it had, indeed.
Singh rushed to the kitchen and was startled to lock eyes with a spotted deer, looking like its proverbial kin caught in the headlights would have. Then Singh looked up to spot a hole in the single cement sheet roof over his house and realised how the visitor had 'gatecrashed'.
"I was taken aback to see the deer, as much as it was, at seeing me. The poor creature was shell-shocked and struggling to lift itself up, as it had fallen from a height," said Singh. He immediately informed forest officials and the animal rescue NGO, Resqink Association for Wildlife Welfare (RAWW).
A team of seven, led by RAWW founder Pawan Sharma and Range Forest Officer Santosh Kank arrived in Powai around 1am. "Its hooves kept skidding on the tiled floor and it just stayed grounded," said Sharma, founder RAWW and honorary wildlife warden, Thane.
The volunteers secured the deer by wrapping it in a net and carried it safely inside the ambulance. During the hour-long rescue operation, a crowd gathered by the house to catch a glimpse of the deer. However, this did not affect the rescue operation.
"There might be a possibility that the deer was chased by a tiger. As some of the nearby residents claimed that they had seen a tiger earlier in the evening," Sharma added.
The deer was then taken to the Sanjay Gandhi National Park, Borivli, and quarantined in the animal facility. As it fell from a height, it sustained minor injuries.
"The animal will be kept at the SGNP facility, where he will be examined by the veterinarian. Only when fully fit, will it be released in the wild," said RFO Kank.
