BAHAWALPUR: The Punjab Wildlife Department has initiated a probe into transportation of four deer allegedly from Bahawalpur to Karachi.

The department officials based in Bahawalpur talked to railway officials about the consignment that was dispatched from here by 2-DN Khyber Mail bound for Karachi.

The media reports claimed that the consignment of four deer — three female and a male — was loaded at a stopover in Bahawalpur. The deer were taken in wooden boxes, which were seized at Karachi railway station by the Sindh wildlife officials before the addressee — Aamir — collected the same.

Bahawalpur Wildlife Deputy Director Chaudhry Muhammad Afzal told Dawn by telephone on Thursday the department was very much concerned about the seizure of four Cholistani deer on board train in Karachi.

Afzal said he had directed his subordinates to check record of the Bahawalpur railway station and other PR stopovers of 2-DN-Khyber Mail to identify the sender - Shahid - and his whereabouts so that he could be nabbed and interrogated to ascertain from where he had managed to take the species and transport them to Mr Aamir of Karachi.

He said during recent days, his field staff did not receive any information about illegal hunting of deer. “Although there had been incidence of poaching and the department punished the culprits.”

When contacted, Lal Sohanra National Park DFO Fida Husain told this correspondent that no complaint was received about theft of deer in recent days from any enclosure at the park. “All species are safe here.”

He said he was in constant touch with the Sindh wildlife conservator to ascertain the facts and for up-date information about the culprits involved in the transportation of deer from here. The Lal Sohanra park is of international repute and have breeding and nourishment facilities for Chinkara deer. The specie is protected under the wildlife rules.

SUICIDE ATTEMPT: A 55-year-old woman on Thursday attempted suicide by jumping into a disposal well near Malook Shah locality. She was rescued by the villagers.

Reports said Safia Mai was worried about financial issues and attempted suicide. Her condition was said to be stable at hospital.