Jagatsinghpur: In a continuing saga, nine sheep carcasses were recovered Friday morning from the sheep-pen of rearer Pratap Dash of Rayankapatna village in Alipingal under the local police limits, sending shockwaves across this district. People’s anger poured onto the streets, as this comes on top of the series of mysterious killing of sheep in Niali of Cuttack district in recent weeks.
While the sheep in Niali were found with their intestines out, the sheep carcasses here had injury marks all over their body. Besides, six more sheep were found injured and three of them were in critical condition.
Agitated locals staged a road blockade near the Alipingal sub-jail seeking governmental intervention for the safety of their animals. The irate mob burnt tyres on the road and demanded a compensation over the deaths from the administration. On being informed, Jagatsinghpur tehsildar Padmacharan Sahoo and IIC Rajanikanta Mishra rushed to the spot and pacified the agitated people.
The cause of the death would be ascertained by way of a post-mortem, said chief district veterinary officer Premananda Rout.
Meanwhile, a 20-member team of forest officials led by range officer Adhira Behera arrived at Alipingal and launched a drive against wild animals by bursting of fire crackers. The villagers are also learnt to be preparing themselves to catch the wild animal by observing a night-long vigil.
According to sheep owner Dash, he had 33 sheep in his sheep-pen and all were in good health till Thursday night. Some neighbours rushed to the enclosure in the wee hours of Friday after hearing the bleating of the animals. They spotted two creatures larger than a jackal in size fleeing the scene. They say they couldn’t figure out the exact shape of the two creatures due to darkness. Later, they found nine dead sheep, dead and bleeding, and six others injured inside the enclosure.
The claim was substantiated after an local elderly person said he also saw one of the mysterious animals that disappeared in darkness.
CVDO Rout said the sheep have sustained injuries in their trachea and food pipe.
When contacted, range officer Behera said people have been asked to keep their sheep in lighted and closed enclosure while the department would patrol the area whole night. Two forest personnel have been engaged in the job and 15 more from Cuttack would join them Friday night, Behera added. PNN
