20 peacocks found dead in Punjab

HOSHIARPUR (Punjab): In a suspected case of poisoning, twenty peacocks were found dead in the fields of a village in the district, a wildlife official said.

According to district forest officer Satnam Singh, it was suspected that farmer Manjit Singh sowed maize seeds laced with some pesticide in his fields in Kotla Naudh Singh village.

The birds, including five peacocks and 15 peahens, died after they consumed these seeds, the officer said.

The carcasses were sent to a veterinary hospital for postmortem.

The local police station has been asked to register a case in this connection, the DFO said, adding that a departmental inquiry had also been initiated.

The Central government has banned the trade in peacock feathers and mere possession of the feathers is now a crime under the Wildlife Protection Act.

The decision was taken in order to stop the poaching and killing of peacocks, the country's national bird, mainly for their colourful feathers that are used in religious rituals and for decoration.