Poultry Farmer’s death – not suicide due to bird flu

A news item “Debts too high, Poultry farmer kills himself” was published on 05.03.2004 in the Indian Express newspaper. The report stated that “The bird Flu panic had claimed the first victim in Maharashtra- faced with a failed business and burdened with debt the person in Ahmednagar District committed suicide.

In this context, it is clarified that the matter was investigated, and it was found that the deceased, Sh.Nanasaheb Baba Agre, incurred no economic loss due to poultry keeping. Further, he had not taken any loan and the question of debt does not arise. It is suspected to be an accidental death and police are investigating the same.

Therefore it is requested of the media that instead of creating a flutter among the already panicky producers & consumers, the factual position of the case alongwith the fact that there is no “Bird Flu (Highly Pathogenic Avian Influenza)” in the country and adequate measures are being taken to prevent the ingress of the same in the country, may be publicized widely. 

This will help in allaying the unnecessary panic which has already resulted in crashing of prices of poultry & poultry products adversely affecting millions of farmers and the industry and rebuilding the confidence in consumers & producers alike.