Panchamrit turns out to be made from rabid cow milk, locals scared

By Kedar Timalsina,Kavrepalanchowk, Dec. 12: Locals of Gokule, a village in Ward No. 1 of Mahabharat Rural Municipality in Kavrepalanchowk district, are now scared about their health after they came to know that the Panchamrit they consumed at a Satya Narayan Puja in the village was made using milk from a cow with rabies.

Panchamrit is a holy drink made from five ingredients including milk and ghee, and served to the guests at the end of religious pujas and rituals. 

The puja was organised at the house of local Panchalal Jimba on November 12. 

“I used the milk from a cow of Khir Maya Shrestha to make Panchamrit in the Satya Narayan Puja. The cow died suddenly on November 29 showing symptoms of rabies,” said Jimba.

The cow was said to be bitten by a stray dog around three months ago, informed cow owner Shrestha.

“A dog had bitten on the head of the cow. We didn’t expect that the cow would suffer from rabies after that. However, before the cow died, it produced saliva unusually and cried unpleasantly. A test was conducted and it was confirmed that the cow died of rabies,” said Shrestha.

After the test reports, the locals have been passing the days in fear.

“Should we get vaccinated against rabies or not?'' Many villagers and school students had consumed the Panchamrit in my home on the day of puja. How are we going to identify them? Jimba asked Kavre’s Health Office chief Dr. Purushottam Raj Sedhai when he reached the village.

Dr. Sedhai, who is also a senior health administrator, informed that they would closely monitor the villagers who consumed the Panchamrit and administer rabies vaccines.

“A total of six cattle died of rabies in Ward Nos. 1 and 8 of Mahabharat Rural Municipality. Seven people were also bitten by the stray dogs recently. We have already administered rabies vaccines on 40 people of Ward No. 1 and 30 of Ward No. 8,” said Dr. Sedhai.

Meanwhile, locals have expressed their ire over the lack of proper measures by the concerned authorities to mitigate the risk related to stray dogs.

“The villagers are unaware of rabies at a time when there are many stray dogs. The dogs attack cattle in sheds and while grazing in open fields. Moreover, we have to carry a stick to chase the dogs while walking in the village,” said Mohandas Shrestha, a local.

Another local Om Kumar Shrestha informed that the dogs attacked cattle at night. “In many cases, the owners do not know that their cattle were bitten by a dog with rabies. Thus, stray dogs must be managed properly. It is getting riskier for children as well,” he said.

Mahabharat’s chief administrative officer Hari Singh Bista informed that they were coordinating with Kavre Health Office and Veterinary Hospital to take effective steps to solve the stray dog menac