Morung Express News
Dimapur | July 18
Nagaland’s Animal Husbandry & Veterinary Service (AH&VS) Advisor, R Khing on July 17 appealed the public to be vigilant and refrain from buying pigs from unknown sources during ban on their import from outside the state.
The Advisor’s appeal came following the interception of an unregistered pickup truck, carrying 12 pigs by the Dimapur police at 3rd Mile (NH 29), on Friday. The pigs were reportedly smuggled into Dimapur from Assam and the police have arrested four persons in this connection.
Eight of the pigs were found dead at the time of the interception, while another died at the District Veterinary Hospital.
Taking to Twitter after the incident, Khing informed that the pigs reportedly were smuggled from Balijan, Assam.
The dead carcasses were disposed of at the DMC Waste Disposal site adhering to COVID-19 protocol.
“All SOPs (Standard operating procedure) were followed to dispose of the dead pigs,” he said.
“I appeal to the public to be vigil and refrain from buying pigs from unknown source during ban on import of pigs from outside the state,” he added.
Earlier, Dr KN Zubemo Humtsoe, incharge of the District Veterinary Hospital, told The Morung Express that post-mortem of the dead pigs pointed to suspected Classical Swine Fever as the cause of death, though there has been no report of CSF-related swine deaths or outbreak in the district.
“Serum samples will be collected from the live pigs and sent to the laboratory in Kohima for confirmatory diagnosis,” he said. He added that it would take 2-3 days for the result to arrive and after that it will be sent for further confirmatory test outside Nagaland.
Case registered at Diphupar PS: Dimapur Police
Meanwhile, the Dimapur Police release on July 18 informed that four people have been apprehended in “on criminal charges of smuggling pigs from Balijan, Assam” on July 17.
The police identified the four as Bipul Mech (22 yrs), Arun Boro (23 yrs), Lipoksunep Ozukum (25 yrs) and Sashi Ozukum (33 yrs).
A case has been registered in Diphupar Police Station under relevant section of IPC; The Epidemic Act, 1897; and Prevention and Control of Infectious and Contagious Diseases in Animals Act, 2009, it added.
It further informed the public that the State Government has banned the import of pig from neighbouring states in view of the outbreak of African Swine Flu.
“Therefore, any violation of this order will amount to criminal offence for which necessary legal action will be pursued against the defaulter,” the police added.
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