Goat bitten by rabies infected dog sacrificed in Chhattisgarh (Photo-X)
JNN, Ambikapur. A goat bitten by a rabies-infected dog was sacrificed during a traditional puja in Ambikapur district of Chhattisgarh. This goat was cooked along with about 15 other goats and after this the cooked meat was consumed as Prasad by about 400 people of the village.
After this incident, there is an atmosphere of concern among the villagers regarding the possibility of spread of rabies. Nikali Puja is organized every three years in Sarganwa village, in which local gods and goddesses are worshipped.
This year this puja was organized on 28 December. During the puja, 15 goats were sacrificed and the meat was distributed. As per the tradition of puja, meat offerings are given only to men. The owner had hidden the information that one of the sacrificed goats was bitten by a rabies infected dog.
Chief Medical and Health Officer Dr. PS Marco said that on Wednesday, Nodal Officer of National Rabies Prevention Program, Dr. Shailendra Gupta will go to Sarganwa.
Dr CK Mishra, senior veterinary doctor, said that rabies is usually spread through contact with the saliva of an infected animal or through a bite. If goat meat is cooked well, the risk of infection is less.