Amid the Guillain-Barre Syndrome (GBS) outbreak in Pune, a rising number of pig deaths in the city has raised concerns among Punekars. The Pune Municipal Corporation (PMC) officials say they have collected samples and are investigating the deaths of these pigs.

Pune's posh locality of Kothrud has seen the deaths of almost 50 pigs since the beginning of February. The residents and social workers speculate if there is any conspiracy behind this. The veterinary department of PMC on February 6 received a complaint from residents stating that eight pigs were found dead inside the Bharat Nagar-Bhimale Tower nullah near the Kothrud garbage depot. Eight more stray pigs were found dead inside the same nullah later.

Speaking to The Free Press Journal, Joint Secretary of Bhartiya Janta Yuva Morcha (BJYM), Dushyant Mohol, said, "On February 1, only one pig death was reported. We thought it was a natural death. However, the number kept on increasing. We informed the authorities; they visited the site and collected the samples, but the number of pig deaths kept on increasing and last Friday, February 7, several pigs were found dead, and to date, the exact cause of death is not found."

"On Wednesday, the state animal husbandry deputy commissioner visited the site and also conducted a postmortem. Some of the organs of these dead pigs were taken out and sent to the Indian Council of Agricultural Research-National Institute of High-Security Animal Diseases in Bhopal. They are likely to get the reports soon. We asked the authorities if it has anything to do with the African flu; the officials informed us that the reports came back negative for the African flu. Amid the GBS outbreak, this mysterious death has raised a lot of health-related concerns among the citizens," he added.

A source within the PMC informed this newspaper that slaughterhouses are being closely monitored following this discovery. "The civic body visited the site a week ago and collected the samples, and yet we don't know what has caused the death of these pigs. The slaughterhouses are being closely monitored and some locals here believe that there is some conspiracy behind this," the source added.

Meanwhile, Dr Nina Borade, health chief, PMC, said, "We tested the blood samples for any possible infection of African swine fever, swine flu and Japanese encephalitis in the pigs and other viral or bacterial infections during the testing. However, prima facie it looks like a case of food poisoning. The investigation is still underway, and the state animal husbandry team has also been notified and they are also conducting the tests."