Over 70 sheep die of suspected food poisoning near Lucknow, CM Yogi orders probe
Livestock owners allege sheep consumed stale food dumped near Rashtra Prerna Sthal; UP government announces Rs 10,000 compensation per animal
More than 70 sheep have died mysteriously in the Ghela locality near the Rashtra Prerna Sthal in Lucknow’s Dubagga area. Authorities have ordered an inquiry and sent samples to a laboratory for examination.
Compensation announced
Panic spread after several sheep were found dead near the Ghela bridge, close to the Rashtra Prerna Sthal in Lucknow.
According to livestock owners and NGOs, the sheep consumed stale and rotten food discarded in the parking area and nearby locations after the Rashtra Prerna Sthal was inaugurated by Prime Minister Narendra Modi on December 25, leading to deterioration in their health.
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As a result, a large number of sheep died. Livestock owners said many sheep had also fallen ill and were undergoing treatment. After the matter came to official notice, Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath ordered a probe and announced compensation of Rs 10,000 per sheep.
Chief Veterinary Officer Dr Suresh Kumar officially confirmed the death of 71 sheep. However, livestock owners claimed the actual number exceeded 100.
Samples sent for examination
The police have conducted post-mortems on some of the sheep. Dr Ram Prakash Sachan, the veterinarian who carried out the post-mortems, told The Federal News that the Ghela outpost in-charge had informed them about sheep being found dead suddenly, while others were seriously ill.
He said grass content was found in the sheep brought for post-mortem and samples had been sent for laboratory testing. Livestock owners claimed the sheep had ingested toxic substances while grazing in the area, after which their health began to deteriorate.
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Most of the livestock owners are from Fatehpur district. They had arrived in Lucknow a few days ago to graze their sheep and have been staying there since.
Food poisoning suspected
The incident began on Sunday (December 28) night when sheep belonging to four shepherds from Fatehpur district — Pradeep Kumar, Vijay Pal, Ajay Pal and Shivratan — suddenly fell ill.
The shepherds initially tried traditional remedies, but when the condition of the sheep worsened, they called in a government veterinary team. Local animal activists also stepped in thereafter.
According to available information, the primary cause of the sheep deaths was the lack of post-event cleaning and the dumping of stale food in the open.
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The Lucknow Municipal Corporation has been accused of negligence for leaving stale food and waste unattended in the area.
The sheep are believed to have suffered food poisoning after consuming the spoiled food. While some have raised concerns about possible poisoning, most sheep appear to have fed on stale food, making it the most likely cause.
(This article was originally published in The Federal Desh)
