Lucknow, 23 Aug: The district authorities in Lucknow has suspended the panchayat secretary and issued a show-cause notice to the village pradhan, only days after 13 cows died in a temporary stray cattle shelter in Kamlapur Bihlika village.
The action was conducted after an investigation determined that the two were negligent in the deaths of the bovines.
Dr Arvind Kumar, Chief Veterinary Officer of Lucknow, said that village secretary Arun Kumar has been suspended, and village pradhan Mata Prasad has been sent with a letter demanding an explanation.
The pradhan had filed a police report saying that five cows were ill after consuming feed on August 15. Later, the diseased animals perished. The deaths were ruled natural, and the bodies were disposed of.
On the basis of the pradhan’s allegation, a FIR was filed at the Nagram police station against unnamed individuals on grounds of violating the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals Act and others. More cows were ill later, and a veterinarian was summoned to the shelter to treat them. Eight additional animals were killed.
Following the autopsy, the cattle’s preserved viscera were transported to the Indian Veterinary Research Institute (IVRI) and the Forensic Laboratory for analysis. According to Dr. Kumar, the preliminary study revealed that the deaths were caused by nitrite poisoning. Toxic chemicals build in fodder as a result of overuse of urea in farms.
