Mancherial man pedals his way to create awareness on animal deaths
The founder of Friends Animal Trust, a Mancherial-based voluntary organization that works for feeding monkeys, Sandesh said that he started the service because he was moved by the growing deaths of wild animals being run over on roads.
Mancherial: Padma Sandesh Gupta, an avid animal lover, has embarked on a bicycle ride from Mancherial to holy town Varanasi, covering a distance of over 2,000 kilometers to create awareness on deaths of animals by vehicles on national highways here on Sunday. He was joined by his friend Veligandula Naresh, a resident of Metpalli in Jagtial district in the arduous 60-day long mission.
The founder of Friends Animal Trust, a Mancherial-based voluntary organization that works for feeding monkeys, Sandesh told ‘Telangana Today’ that he started the service because he was moved by the growing deaths of wild animals being run over on roads. “Our objective of cycling is to sensitize the public and motorists, who are busy in reaching their destinations but not in cremating the bodies, over the menace,” he reasoned.
Sandesh offered prayers at Sri Hanuman-Shirdi Sai temple in Hamaliwada before setting off to the temple town. His mother Jayalaxmi, father Nagabhushanam, siblings Santosh, Sandeep and sister-in-law Nagalaxmi, friends, family members and well-wishers appreciated their effort for the marathon pedaling for the cause. Jayalaxmi expressed joy at her son’s novel attempt.
The 31-year-old said that he was taking up the long journey with the help of donations by philanthropists, donors and public representatives and support from his friends. He stated that they both would perform final rites of animals which were crushed to death on national highways during their journey. He added that they would commute nearly 2,500 kilometers.
The activist has adorned his bicycle with a tricolor flag and his and carried luggage required at the time of unusual travel. “We are planning to reach Varanasi by 25 day of time and it would take the same amount of time to return to Mancherial district headquarters. The rains and unfavorable climate conditions may delay the journey,” he shared.
Sandesh, with the help of his friends, is known for providing fruits to animals in forests of Jaipur, Jannaram and on the premises of prominent Sri Satyanarayana Swamy temple at Gudem in Dandepalli mandal and Sri Bugga Raja Rajeshwara Swamy shrine near Kannala village in Bellampalli mandal and many other pilgrim centres on weekends and on certain festivals. They perform funerals of the animals if they spot their bodies on roads.
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