<p class="title">Ten cows died of suffocation at a shelter run by a village panchayat in Chhattisgarh's Rajnandgaon district, an official said on Tuesday.</p>.<p class="bodytext">The deaths at the cow shelter at Barbaspur village came to light on August 18.</p>.<p class="bodytext">"Preliminary investigation revealed that the cows were locked in a room to protect them from rain, and they died of asphyxiation," the official said, requesting anonymity.</p>.<p class="bodytext">Stray cows were kept in the shelter as per a directive of the state government, he said.</p>.<p class="bodytext">Some days ago, the animals were herded into a room inside the shelter as it was raining heavily, he said.</p>.<p class="bodytext">Villagers noticed a foul smell coming from the shelter on Sunday and found that the animals were dead.</p>.<p class="bodytext">A team of veterinary doctors was sent to the village and autopsy revealed that the cows had died of suffocation, he said.</p>.<p class="bodytext">"The sarpanch and secretary of the panchayat have been served notices, seeking their replies. An inquiry has been ordered," said Chhuikhadan Sub Divisional Magistrate Avinash Bhoi when contacted.</p>.<p class="bodytext">Police are conducting a separate probe under the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals Act, Bhoi added. </p>
<p class="title">Ten cows died of suffocation at a shelter run by a village panchayat in Chhattisgarh's Rajnandgaon district, an official said on Tuesday.</p>.<p class="bodytext">The deaths at the cow shelter at Barbaspur village came to light on August 18.</p>.<p class="bodytext">"Preliminary investigation revealed that the cows were locked in a room to protect them from rain, and they died of asphyxiation," the official said, requesting anonymity.</p>.<p class="bodytext">Stray cows were kept in the shelter as per a directive of the state government, he said.</p>.<p class="bodytext">Some days ago, the animals were herded into a room inside the shelter as it was raining heavily, he said.</p>.<p class="bodytext">Villagers noticed a foul smell coming from the shelter on Sunday and found that the animals were dead.</p>.<p class="bodytext">A team of veterinary doctors was sent to the village and autopsy revealed that the cows had died of suffocation, he said.</p>.<p class="bodytext">"The sarpanch and secretary of the panchayat have been served notices, seeking their replies. An inquiry has been ordered," said Chhuikhadan Sub Divisional Magistrate Avinash Bhoi when contacted.</p>.<p class="bodytext">Police are conducting a separate probe under the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals Act, Bhoi added. </p>