Shillong, Feb. 9: The death of more than 150 pigeons in the past week at the Keating Road locality of Shillong has created panic of a possible bird flu outbreak.

After the panic-stricken residents informed the matter to the state animal husbandry and veterinary department, the staff of the department today visited the locality and asked the people not to touch the dead pigeons.

More pigeons died today and the officials asked the residents to report to them if there was any fresh case of deaths.

The department officials will be sending the samples to the Assam-based Regional Research and Diagnostic Laboratory for testing tomorrow.

East Khasi Hills deputy commissioner Sanjay Goyal today said the officers of animal husbandry and veterinary department are looking into the matter and only the test report can confirm whether the death has anything to do with bird flu.

“It can be natural death, but we are sending the samples to the laboratory in Guwahati to know the exact reason of the death of pigeons,” Goyal said.

According to the deputy commissioner, the district administration is keeping a close watch and precautionary measures are being taken.

The death of pigeons has taken place at a time when culling operations of birds in the East Garo Hills district was completed last month after the bird flu was confirmed in the district on January 11.

A total of 6,538 birds were culled and 9,157 eggs were destroyed to check the spread of bird flu in the district.