Eight cows were found dead on Thursday at a municipal cowshed in Rampur, Jabalpur, prompting protests from cow protectors and local residents. They alleged negligence by the Jabalpur Municipal Corporation, claiming that government-supplied fodder is routinely siphoned off, leaving animals without adequate food or water. Protestors said carcasses remained unattended for days and accused officials of visiting the site only after the deaths escalated.
Cowshed in-charge Rajendra Patel attributed the deaths to the Lumpy virus, which continues to affect cattle across central India. He said delays in removing carcasses were caused by a strike in the health department, which oversees disposal vehicles. Residents disputed the administration’s claims, pointing to empty water tanks and poor hygiene inside the facility. Eight more infected cows have been isolated for treatment.
In Pandhurna tehsil, more than 15 cattle have died in Hivrasenadwar and Umrikala villages from a fast-acting unidentified disease. Farmers reported that animals developed severe abdominal swelling and died within hours. Veterinary teams conducted emergency treatment, but laboratory tests detected gram-positive square bacteria in the carcasses.
The infection has now crossed into human cases. Five residents, including two children, fell ill after consuming milk from an infected cow. Following the outbreak, Collector Neeraj Vashisht and SP Sundar Singh Kanesh visited the affected villages, while medical teams carried out door-to-door screening.
Authorities have issued advisories urging villagers to avoid suspect milk and maintain strict hygiene. Investigations are underway into both the alleged negligence in Jabalpur and the rapid-spreading livestock infection in Pandhurna as surveillance is intensified across rural districts.
