CHENNAI: Nearly 2,000 chickens died in three days, creating panic in Puzhal Central Jail.

Chennai: A well-intentioned initiative to provide protein-rich food is now creating panic behind bars after the sudden deaths of hundreds of chickens in the Puzhal-I Central Prison complex. The incident has spread panic among the inmates and raised fears of a potential zoonotic disease like bird flu. Authorities have neither addressed these concerns nor addressed them by relocating poultry farms from the prison premises. Prison sources said that flocks of birds began dying on Saturday, and nearly 2,000 have died in three days. While the exact cause is still unclear, rumors of bird flu have spread widely, raising concerns among the inmates. A senior department official confirmed the deaths but downplayed the matter, calling it “not alarming” and “common in poultry farms.” He declined to disclose the number of dead birds, the cause of death, or the steps taken to protect the inmates. Another senior prison official dismissed the issue outright, saying, “There’s nothing to talk about.” However, a government doctor who frequently cares for sick prisoners refuted these claims, calling the situation a clear health hazard. The doctor warned, “Chronically ill and elderly prisoners are particularly vulnerable. Prisoners working in poultry farms can become carriers of zoonotic diseases.” Sources said the dead birds were buried within the prison premises to avoid attracting unwanted attention. However, this has also raised concerns. According to rules, proper permission from the environmental authority is required, and the bodies must be buried in pits at least six feet deep. One source said, “It’s doubtful whether the burial was done safely or according to protocol.” The Freedom Poultry Farm initiative, launched in all central prisons, aims to provide protein-rich food to prisoners by involving them in poultry farming. It also aims to eliminate corrupt practices in purchasing meat from outside, supplying chicken curry to ‘A’ category prisoners three times a week—Sundays, Tuesdays, and Thursdays—while ‘B’ category prisoners receive chicken curry twice a week—Sundays and Wednesdays. While this plan was well-intentioned, it is now under scrutiny for failing to consider the health implications of establishing poultry farms on prison premises. A source familiar with conditions in other prisons said, “Many prisoners are medically frail, suffering from age-related illnesses and chronic conditions. Zoonotic diseases like bird flu can spread rapidly in such an environment.” They added that exposure to bird feces and contaminated environments can further degrade prisoners’ health. A retired prison official, speaking on condition of anonymity, said, “While the initiative is good in principle, setting up a poultry farm inside the prison premises is reckless. It creates an avoidable risk that could prove fatal for vulnerable inmates.” When contacted, senior officials declined to comment.