Patna, March 19 : Panic gripped Harhangi village in Bihar's Bhojpur district after approximately 20 crows were found dead under mysterious circumstances over the past two days, officials said.

Dr Dinkar Diwakar, Animal Husbandry and Fisheries Officer of Bhojpur, confirmed the unusual incident and stated that the carcasses were discovered in a teak plantation on the outskirts of the village.

Speaking to IANS, he said, 'We have collected samples from the dead crows and sent them to the Regional Disease Diagnostic Laboratory (RDDL) in Kolkata for further testing. Initial inspections do not indicate symptoms of Avian Influenza (bird flu),' Diwakar said.

To prevent any potential contamination, the deceased birds were safely buried near the village. Although officials have ruled out immediate health risks, the sudden mass death has raised concerns among local residents about the possibility of an outbreak.

Interestingly, there are no poultry farms within a 4-5 km radius of the affected area, which officials say reduces the likelihood of bird flu transmission.

Despite the absence of clear indicators of avian disease, an expert team from the Animal Husbandry Department has visited the site and urged residents to remain vigilant.

This incident comes in the wake of a similar occurrence last month. On February 18, dozens of crows were found dead within the police lines premises in Jehanabad district, raising alarm. Subsequent testing of those samples confirmed the presence of Avian Influenza, specifically the H5N1 strain, which is known to be highly contagious and can potentially spread to humans.

The confirmation of bird flu in Jehanabad prompted swift action from the district administration, which issued warnings and precautionary measures to residents. Health and animal husbandry authorities have since intensified surveillance and advised the public to report any unusual bird deaths immediately.

/IANS