Report blames hydrogen cyanide for cattle deaths

Panchkula, November 19

The green fodder served to cattle at Mata Mansa Devi Gaudham had rich concentration of hydrogen cyanide, which led to the mass deaths at the cow shelter, stated a report submitted by a three-member committee looking into the incident to the Deputy Commissioner.

Over 70 head of cattle had died last month after eating fodder at the cow shelter run by the Panchkula Gaushala Trust. Deputy Commmissioner Mukesh Kumar Ahuja has issued a notice to the trust, seeking a reply on the matter. The Mata Mansa Devi Shrine Board has also been asked to explain the terms and conditions on which they had allowed the trust to run the gaushala.

On October 29, a day after the incident, a preliminary post-mortem report had hinted at food poisoning behind the mass deaths. The shelter houses around 1,500 head of cattle. —TNS