Feb. 4: The North Dinajpur administration has promulgated prohibitory orders under Section 144 of the CrPC to prevent poultry owners from smuggling birds out of Itahar, where mop-up operations are under way.

“We apprehend attempts to smuggle out poultry by people travelling in groups. The assembly of more than five persons in public places has been prohibited until the end of the mopping-up operation,” said Raigunj subdivisional officer Asoke Kumar Das.

The avian flu virus was detected in Mahanadapur village in adjoining Malda, but poultry birds are being killed within 10km of Itahar as a precaution.

Das said police stations in the area had been asked to step up patrol and arrest those violating Section 144.

In the 13 bird flu-hit districts, animal resource teams went house to house for the mop-up. Police teams accompanied them but villagers handed over their remaining birds willingly. The operation will continue for another five days.

“We wanted the police to accompany officials to pressure villagers to hand over their birds. But our door-to-door campaign in the past few days worked,” animal resource minister Anisur Rahman said.

Poultry samples have been sent for tests from Sultanpur in ward 46 of the Howrah Municipal Corporation after 200 chickens died there over the past few days.