Pune:Death continued to stalk peacocks inhabiting Ranjangaon, 50 km from here, as one more bird was reported dead under mysterious circumstances, taking the toll to 28 in the last four days, Frest Department officials who have launched a probe confirmed today.

While Forest Department officials are awaiting the viscera report of the birds from the forensic laboratory, circumstances under which the deaths were discovered didn t completely rule out the possibility of foul play.

The investigating officer, S D Raut, who undertook the probe after Maharashtra Forest Minister Baban Pachpute issued directions to that effect, told PTI today that the samples of foodgrain, mainly jawar and wheat, that had been strewn around and three bottles of pesticides found in the fields had been sent for lab tests.

"We are examining various angles including accidental causes as well as deliberate mischief aimed at poisoned feed for the birds. But we cannot arrive at any conclusion till the test results and expert opinions are obtained," forest officials who summoned the veterinary staff to perform postmortem of the dead birds on the spot, maintained.

The scattered grains of jawar and wheat have puzzled people as the current farming pattern in the region does not envisage those crops, Forest Department sources said.

The first lot of the dead peacocks, numbering 17,was noticed by villagers who registered an FIR with police on August 22 and more shocks were in store when ten more birds were found lifeless the next day. Closeby the earlier site, yet another peacock was reported dead on Sunday, putting the death roll at 28.

The offence of killing a peacock entails a jail term of up to four years.
Source : PTI