UoH officials say viral image of injured deer is not casualty of land clearing at university

Hyderabad: Several social media posts are claiming that a deer was killed due to ‘reckless bulldozing’ during the ongoing land clearing by the State government at the University of Hyderabad (UoH). It has sparked widespread outrage among students, environmentalists and netizens.

The image showed a deer lying on the ground with visible injuries, and the post linked the state of the animal to the Telangana government’s controversial decision to auction 400 acres of biodiversity-rich land near the university—a move that has already led to protests by students and environmentalists. The viral post gained significant traction, with users tagging authorities like the Telangana CMO, PETA India and even national leaders, demanding action to protect the campus’s wildlife.

Did a deer die due to land clearing at HCU?

When NewsMeter reached out to the University of Hyderabad. The registrar’s office at the university stated that they have no information about a deer being injured during the land clearing by the JCBs.

The same was stated by the university’s security officer. Speaking to NewsMeter, HCU’s security officer, Dayanand, confirmed that no deer was killed during the recent land clearing near the campus. “We have not received any complaints about a deer being killed on or near the campus during this period. Some people might be trying to mislead students and the public by posting such photos. If this had happened, it would have been reported to us, but we have received no such complaint,” he said.

What is the protocol when an animal dies on campus?

Dayanand explained the university’s wildlife protection measures: “We actively monitor the wildlife on campus, provide water and protect animals like deer from stray dogs, as there have been incidents in the past of deer being killed by dogs. If an animal is killed, we inform forest officials and conduct a panchnama. If it’s injured but alive, we send it to Mrugavani National Park or the zoo for treatment. But the viral photo has no time or place mentioned on it, and we have no record of any such incident in recent times.”

The University of Hyderabad also issued an official press release on March 31 to address the controversy.

The statement read, “The university administration strongly urges all stakeholders and members of the media to exercise caution and refrain from disseminating or endorsing unverified information. The unchecked spread of such misinformation, without proper consultation with university authorities, has unfortunately become a recurring issue, as highlighted by several recent media reports.”

X user posts apology for sharing image without verification

The authenticity of the source of the image was also questioned after the person who posted the image apologised for sharing the image without verification on March 31. The X user tweeted, “I had posted an image of an injured deer earlier this evening. I was initially informed that the photograph was from today and related to the ongoing clearing of land at the University of Hyderabad. However, I made a mistake by not verifying the source and location before sharing it. Upon later verification, I realised that the image was from a different time, and deleted. I regret the error and any confusion it may have caused. (sic)”

The University of Hyderabad is known for its ecological significance, often described as a carbon sink for the city with diverse flora and fauna, including Schedule-1 species like the spotted deer. Historical reports have documented deer deaths on campus, such as in 2017 and 2021, often due to feral dogs or habitat loss caused by urban development pressures.

However, there is no evidence linking the recent land clearing to any wildlife casualties, and the viral image has been debunked as unrelated to the HCU incident.