Around 450 people from two villages in Uttar Pradesh’s Gorakhpur district received anti-rabies vaccinations after consuming charanamrit prepared from the milk of a cow suspected of having rabies.
The cow died on Tuesday evening after displaying unusual behaviour, prompting the Health Department to organise a vaccination drive as a precautionary measure.
The milk had also been supplied to two local shops and several households, raising concerns among residents of Dadi Khas and neighbouring Govindpur village.
According to the cow’s owner, Nawami Yadav, the animal had appeared unwell for the preceding one or two days, but its condition deteriorated significantly on Tuesday. Yadav said he did not know when a stray dog had bitten the cow.
As the cow’s condition worsened, Yadav consulted private veterinarians Dr Bechan Singh and Dr Hardev Yadav, as well as a doctor at the Dadi Khas veterinary hospital. According to Yadav, the veterinarians suspected that a dog had bitten the animal. The cow subsequently began barking and died on Tuesday evening.
Although a veterinarian raised the possibility of rabies, officials have not confirmed whether the cow had the disease.
News of the cow’s death and its unusual behaviour alarmed residents who had consumed the charanamrit during Durga Puja. People began seeking anti-rabies vaccinations as a precaution.
On Tuesday, around 50 people visited the community health centre (CHC) to receive anti-rabies shots. The following day, Wednesday, October 21, a Health Department team from the centre reached village and organised a vaccination camp to address residents’ concerns.
The team, led by pharmacist Siddharth Singh, included health workers Arshad, Sonu Srivastava, Priyanka and Ankita. They continued administering vaccines as large numbers of villagers arrived at the camp. By Wednesday evening, the team had vaccinated around 400 people, taking the total number of recipients to approximately 450.
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.
“The cow has died, and people were afraid. Therefore, 450 people were administered anti-rabies vaccines as a precautionary measure,” Kumar said.
He sought to reassure residents, explaining that the milk would likely have been boiled before being used to prepare curd and subsequently incorporated into the charanamrit. “There is no need to panic. Boiling the milk destroys the virus,” he said, adding that the authorities administered the vaccines because of the fear among residents.( _IT_ )
