Siliguri (PTI): A special drive for fresh culling was taken up in Dinhata I block in Coochbehar district on Sunday after initial culling was completed on January 30, official sources said.

Meanwhile, the sudden death of cattle in Mathabhanga II block of the district created fears of the possibility of anthrax.

The District Magistrate Rajesh Sinha told PTI that culling had been completed in two affected blocks of Coochbehar - Mathabhanga I and Dinhata I.

In Dinhata I six special teams resumed culling operations on Sunday morning as chicken kept hidden by the poor villagers earlier were found moving around in the open. As a result about 1,000 birds remained to be culled, Sinha said.

Besides, Sinha said some chicken from outside the affected areas of the district were being brought here by farmers who were surrendering them to the authorities for culling to claim compensation.

The six special teams were operating in three gram panchayat areas - Gitaldaha I, Gitaldaha II and Okrabari.

The sudden death of some cows in Mathabhanga II block has created panic among the people of the possibility of anthrax. Samples from the dead cows have been sent for lab tests and anti-anthrax vaccine would be administered to cattle if the samples tested positive, Deputy Director Animal Resource Development (ARD) Tapan Kumar Roy said.

The DM urged the people not to panic and said cold wave conditions for the past one week in the district could have taken its toll on the cattle.

He said the administration was contemplating steps against rumour-mongers.