Kendrapara: After the mystery sheep killing in Cuttack’s Niali, fear has now spread to coastal Rajgada block with some six sheep found dead Friday in a similar manner in this place of Kendrapara’s Rajnagar block.
This has driven panic into the minds of the sheep farmers of coastal Rajnagar who now thinks that their livestock may face the wrath of what many believe could be the work of a mysterious creature.
According to sources, the sheep belonged to Malati Satapathy, a farmer of Rajagada village. Friday morning, Malati found six sheep lying dead in her cattle shed. Deep injury marks were found in the necks of the carcasses. The predators might have killed the sheep in a manner similar to what happened at Niali.
According to Malati, she had about 50 sheep in her cattle shed. Wednesday night, three sheep were killed mysteriously with deep neck injuries . Suspecting further attacks Malati and her family members guarded the cattle shed till 2 am late Thursday night. Friday, I found six of my sheep killed,” said Malati.
Villagers have brought the matter to the notice of Rajnagar forest range personnel following which a team led by Kapilendra Pradhan, forester, rushed to the spot and has started an inquiry. The carcasses have been seized and sent for post-mortem while the veterinary surgeon of Rajnagar has been asked to reach the spot.
The reason behind sheep deaths can be established after the autopsy report, said Amaresh Nath Pradhan, Ranger of Rajnagar forest Range. According to a veterinary official, the sheep may have died due to the choking of throat and haemorrhage of lungs as deep neck injuries reveal.
Sheep farmers now want the district administration and forest department to take steps for providing security to their animals by nabbing the mysterious creature. Locals suspect that jackals, wolves or hyenas may have sneaked into these places from the nearby forest and killed the sheep.
Holes have been on the walls of the cattlesheds where the sheep used to be kept, while pugmarks and nail marks of the creature are also visible, it was learnt.
A forest team along with the anti-poaching squad has been deployed in the village to provide security to the sheep during night and also to nab the mysterious animal. Night patrolling has been intensified by the personnel of Rajnagar forest range.
The forest department has appealed to the locals to remain alert, co-operate with the forest personnel during night patrolling and also urged the sheep farmers to keep their stock in a secure place by arranging lights. PNN
