Uproar over killing of peacocks

The killing of more than a hundred peacocks in a village in north Karnataka’s Gadag district by unidentified farmers triggered an outrage in the Karnataka Assembly with legislators forcing the Environment Minister C Chennigappa to order an inquiry into the matter.

After several members expressed concern over the reported poisoning to death of India’s national bird in such a large number at Balehosuru village in Gadag’s Shirahatti taluk in the last few days, Chennigappa said the Government shared their concern and directed the officials to visit the spot and identify the accused persons.

According to preliminary information, unidentified miscreants had mixed poisonous pesticides with food grains scattered in the agricultural fields to prevent the peacocks from destroying the crop.

The farmers in the area have been complaining about the destruction of their crop by peacocks and wild boars, which stray into their agricultural fields from the surrounding forest areas.

The forest department officials, who visited the village, were shocked to find a large the carcasses of a large number of peacocks and other small birds lying all over the agricultural fields in the area.

Quoting the villagers, the officials said the peacocks were found struggling for life. In the absence of veterinarians in the area, the locals had little option, but to helplessly watch them die. A few dogs, which fed on the dead peacocks, are also reported to have fallen ill in the area.

Though the exact number of peacocks, which had died due to reported poisoning could not be ascertained immediately, the officials learnt that the villagers had buried several peacocks already. Many villagers were found carrying the peacock feathers.

The local police officials had booked a case and were on the look-out for the miscreants, who had thrown the food grains laced with poisonous pesticides in the agricultural fields.

The issue was raised in the Karnataka Assembly by Kannada Chaluvali Vatal Paksha legislator Vatal Nagaraj, who described the act as a serious crime. A host of legislators too joined the discussion and pressed the Government to immediately take action against the perpetrators of the crime.