Nilgai deaths: Irrigation team searches for leads along canal

Ravinder Saini

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Rohtak, January 25

The Department of Irrigation today initiated an inquiry into the recovery of over 40 carcasses of nilgai (cow) from Jawaharlal Nehru Canal on Wednesday. Its officials covered about 45 km along the canal to find leads about the deaths.

No pugmarks found

Our officials covered a distance of 45 km up to Khubru water head along Jawaharlal Nehru Canal, but they didn’t find any pugmarks of cattle or any other clue about the deaths. Ram Niwas, Executive Engineer (Irrigation)

The action came after the authorities of the Irrigation Department asked local officials to probe the matter while taking a serious note of a report published by The Tribune in these columns today.

“Our officials today covered a distance of 45 km up to the Khubru water head along the canal but they didn’t find any pugmark of cattle or any other clue about their death.

The SDOs concerned of Rohtak and Jhajjar have been directed to further inquire into the matter and send a report on whether the carcasses were dumped in the canal or they died due to drowning,” said Ram Niwas, Executive Engineer (Irrigation).

“Since no pugmark of cattle on the way to Khubru from Rohtak has been found, it is possible that the carcasses reached the Khubru water head from some other location,” Ram Niwas added.

Activists of ‘Suno Nahro Ki Pukar’ outfit spotted the carcasses floating in the canal while they were cleaning it on Tuesday evening. The Irrigation Department took all carcasses out the next day and buried them near the location.

“Thorough investigation into these deaths is imperative. If they have died due to drowning, then steps should be taken to check such incidents in future and if they have been killed and dumped into the canal, then perpetrators of the crime should be identified and punished,” said Dr Jasmer Singh, convener of the outfit.

Meanwhile, Deputy Commissioner Ajay Kumar said the Rohtak SDM had been asked to look into the matter and submit a report.