Shopian: Panic gripped the Dubjan area of Shopian district in south Kashmir after dozens of sheep died allegedly due to medicines administered by the Sheep Husbandry Department.
The incident devastated Mauzam-ud-Din Khatana, a Rajouri resident and member of the nomadic Bakarwal community.
Mauzam-ud-Din said that his livestock were healthy, aside from fatigue from seasonal migration. ‘As usual, I took them to the Sheep Husbandry camp for routine medication. After administering the department-provided medicines, the sheep began collapsing one by one. Within hours, dozens died, and several remain missing.
Khatana, claiming total livelihood loss, alleged delayed response from the department, leading to the deaths. ‘These medicines ruined everything. I called for help, but no one came,’ he said, breaking down. ‘Just poison me, kill me too… my children are now without support,’ he cried.
During the visit, scenes of mourning were evident, with several Bakarwal community members demanding immediate compensation and a thorough investigation.
An official from the Sheep Husbandry Department in Shopian stated, ‘We’ve formed an investigation team to conduct post-mortems on the deceased sheep and determine the exact cause. Our team responded promptly upon receiving the report.’
The Bakarwal community disputed the department’s claims, alleging negligence and delay that, they claim, contributed to the tragedy.
Notably, Gujjar and Bakarwal communities migrate seasonally from Jammu to Kashmir with their livestock, relying heavily on these animals for their livelihood. Such losses inflict significant financial hardship. -(GNS)
