450 villagers in UP’s Gorakhpur get rabies shots after consuming charanamrit served during Durga Puja, following cow’s death after suspected dog bite

A suspected rabies case involving a cow has prompted a precautionary health drive in Uttar Pradesh's Gorakhpur district, with around 450 people from two villages receiving anti-rabies shots after consuming charanamrit distributed during Durga Puja, as per local media reports. The religious offering was prepared using the animal's milk, and concerns emerged after the cow died following a spell of unusual behaviour. Authorities subsequently sent a health team to the affected villages, although rabies in the animal has not been officially confirmed.

The incident has caused concern in Dadi Khas and neighbouring Govindpur village, where the cow's milk had reportedly been supplied to households and two local shops.

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Cow's unusual behaviour raises rabies concerns

The animal's health had been deteriorating for a day or two before it died on Tuesday evening, its owner, Nawami Yadav, told India Today. Yadav said he was unaware of when a stray dog might have bitten the cow.

Concerned about the cow's worsening condition, Yadav consulted two private practitioners, Dr Bechan Singh and Dr Hardev Yadav, and also approached the veterinary hospital in Dadi Khas. The veterinarians reportedly suspected that the animal had suffered a dog bite.

The cow subsequently began displaying unusual behaviour, including making barking sounds, before dying on Tuesday evening. Although rabies was suspected, no confirmation of the disease in the animal had been reported.

Health department organises vaccination camp

Anxiety spread among devotees after they learnt that the cow whose milk had been used for the Durga Puja offering had died. Some residents approached the local community health centre (CHC) on Tuesday to seek preventive treatment.

On Wednesday, October 21, a Health Department team from the centre reached the village and set up a vaccination camp to attend to more residents.

The medical team was led by pharmacist Siddharth Singh and included several health workers, who continued administering anti-rabies shots as residents arrived at the camp throughout the day.

Around 50 people had reportedly received anti-rabies shots at the health centre on Tuesday. By Wednesday evening, approximately 400 more people had been vaccinated, taking the total number of recipients from the two villages to around 450, according to local media reports.

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What Gorakhpur health officials said

Speaking to India Today, Gorakhpur Deputy Chief Medical Officer Dr Rajesh Kumar said the cow had reportedly been bitten by a dog and that devotees had consumed charanamrit prepared from its milk during Durga Puja.

Kumar said the vaccination drive was organised to address residents' fears following the cow's death. He put the number of people given anti-rabies shots at approximately 450, describing the exercise as a precautionary measure.

The official also sought to reassure residents about the preparation of the offering. He suggested that the milk would probably have been boiled before being turned into curd and incorporated into the charanamrit. Kumar cited this as a reason for residents not to panic and said boiling would destroy the rabies virus.

However, the suspected infection in the cow has not been confirmed, and the explanation about how the milk was prepared remains an official's assessment rather than a verified finding about the safety of the offering. Anyone concerned about possible exposure should follow the advice of qualified health professionals and local health authorities.