In a suspected case of poisoning, three spotted deer and two monkeys died after drinking water from a pond in Barnawapara Wildlife Sanctuary under Balodabazar forest division of Chhattisgarh, officials said today.
"The incident which took place near Bar village came to light lastevening, when some locals spottedthe carcass of the spotted deer near a pond in the sanctuary, around 90 km away from the state capital Raipur," Balodabazar Division Forest Officer (DFO) J R Nayak told PTI.
The officer said preliminary investigation has revealed that urea was mixed in the water body.
"Theanimals must have consumed that water with led to their death," he said, adding viscera of the animals and water sample have been sent to lab, which will further throw light on the case
Meanwhile, a group of wildlife photographers, who had visited the spot a few hours before the incident came to light, claimed that they had seen a big herd of spotted deer drinking water from that pond.
They had reportedly claimed that if the water body was indeed poisoned, several spotted deer would have been affected of it.
A senior forest official said the forest personnel at the ground have been instructed to cordon off the jungle to trace if more animals are found ill or dead in the area.
