The deer was first sighted around 8.45 a.m. in the Government School for Girls in Sector 8. The school staff immediately alerted police and Forest Department officials.

With a pack of stray dogs on its heels, the frightened and slightly wounded animal leapt the school compound wall and bounded through the Sector 8 market. It entered a dry-cleaner's shop -- one of the few shops open at that time -- and found shelter in the backyard of the shop. The shopkeeper downed the shutter trapping it inside. Other shopkeepers also hastily pulled the shutters down.

Within minutes, the police and Forest Department staff arrived and, after a few attempts, the Forest personnel managed to lasso the animal and wrap it securely in a restraining net. Skeptical of the humans' intentions, the deer nevertheless struggled for freedom and nearly broke away as it was being loaded into a jeep-trailer. Only after Forest Department workers hobbled its legs did the animal give up.According to Chief Conservator Forests H.S.

Sohal, the sambar has been released in Napeli forest range. He asserted that quite a lot of sambars can be found in the UT forest range. An official said that often in winters, two sambars fight between themselves driving one out. As one little girl remarked as the van sped away: "There's the deer ... but where's Santa Claus?"