LUCKNOW: As many as 71 sheep died of suspected food poisoning under mysterious circumstances in Ghaila village along Hardoi Road in the Dubagga area of Lucknow on Monday, prompting Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath to take cognisance of the incident, order a probe and announce compensation of Rs 10,000 per sheep to the affected rearers.
The incident occurred near the Rashtra Prerna Sthal, which was inaugurated by Prime Minister Narendra Modi on December 25. Besides the deaths, several sheep were taken critically ill.
According to sources, the sheep fell victim to a poisonous substance they had consumed. The incident came to light early in the morning when residents spotted several sheep lying motionless with stiffened bodies in the grazing ground.
Following this, the authorities were alerted, and district police and administrative officials rushed to the spot along with personnel from the animal husbandry department.
As per animal husbandry officials, three teams, each headed by a veterinary doctor and comprising over 30 staff members, reached the site to provide treatment to the sheep that had fallen ill.
Sources said the preliminary probe suggested that the animals might have suffered food poisoning after consuming leftover food dumped in an open area near the Rashtra Prerna Sthal.
However, the district administration maintained that the exact cause of death would be confirmed only after post mortem reports are received.
Taking cognisance of the incident, Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath ordered an inquiry into the matter and announced financial assistance of Rs 10,000 per sheep to the owners of the animals.
Lucknow Chief Veterinary Officer Suresh Kumar said that after receiving information from the police, he sent a team of three veterinary doctors and over 30 veterinary staff to the spot to provide treatment to the affected animals.
“There are nearly 300 sheep at the site. Around 70 sheep have recovered after treatment. The treatment of the remaining animals is going on. Post mortem has been conducted on the dead sheep and viscera samples have been preserved and will be sent to a laboratory for further examination,” Kumar said.
Officials said the post mortem examination of the dead sheep has been conducted and the reports are awaited. According to Sub Divisional Magistrate (SDM) Lucknow Manoj Kumar Singh, the administration is awaiting the post mortem reports, after which the future course of action will be decided. “The exact cause of the incident is yet to be ascertained,” the SDM added.
The sheep belonged to some residents of Fatehpur district who had come to Lucknow recently and were staying with their herd in an open area in Ghaila village, close to the Rashtra Prerna Sthal.
The Chief Veterinary Officer claimed that doctors treating the ailing animals informed him that the sheep might have consumed a poisonous substance a day earlier, following which their stomachs bloated, leading to difficulty in breathing. Official sources said the dead sheep would be buried after completion of the required procedures.
However, Asra The Helping Hands, an NGO, alleged that the animals had consumed rotten food. The organisation claimed to have submitted a complaint to the police, holding the Lucknow Municipal Corporation responsible for the incident.
Calling it a case of gross negligence, the NGO alleged that food waste was dumped in the open space, which led to the deaths of several sheep and left many others critically ill.
According to the sheep owners, residents of Fatehpur district, they have suffered huge losses. The family, comprising four brothers who jointly rear sheep, said they had around 170 sheep before the incident.
They claimed that the animals, after returning from grazing in the evening, fell ill and started dying until around 11.30 pm that night.