Pesticide contamination suspected as 20 sheep die in Pulwama

PULWAMA — Twenty sheep belonging to a shepherd from south Kashmir’s Tral area died under suspected toxic conditions late Thursday night, dealing a major financial blow to the livestock owner and raising fresh concerns over the safety of grazing areas.

The sheep belonged to Bilal Ahmad, a resident of Seer Tral, and were reportedly being moved towards higher grazing grounds when the incident occurred in the Kehlil area of Tral.

Local sources told the news agency KNT that the animals had grazed on grass suspected to have been contaminated with pesticides shortly before they began collapsing. All 20 sheep later died, though the exact cause of death has not been officially confirmed.

The incident has caused concern among shepherds and livestock owners, many of whom depend on seasonal grazing routes for their livelihood.

The latest episode comes less than two months after a similar incident was reported in the Yarigund area of Kawoosa in Budgam district, where eight sheep died under suspected toxic conditions on April 26. Police had registered a case and initiated an investigation into that incident.

The recurrence of such incidents has prompted calls from livestock owners for a thorough investigation into the use of chemicals in areas frequented by grazing animals and for measures to prevent similar losses in the future.

Locals urged the concerned departments to ascertain the cause of the deaths and provide appropriate assistance to the affected shepherd.