55 pigs culled after African Swine Fever outbreak in Assam's Nagaon
An African Swine Fever outbreak at a private farm in Halowa village led to the culling of around 55 pigs in Nagaon district on Saturday. The administration sealed the area with movement curbs and stepped up surveillance to check further spread.
- Jul 04, 2026,
- Updated Jul 04, 2026, 7:16 PM IST
- Veterinary officials confirmed infection at Arbind Saikia's private farm in Puranigudam
- Section 163 of BNSS was invoked after the disease was detected
- Halowa's one-kilometre perimeter became infected, with ten kilometres placed under watch
Around 55 pigs were culled in Assam's Nagaon district on Saturday, July 4, after veterinary authorities confirmed an outbreak of African Swine Fever (ASF) at a private pig farm in Halowa village under Puranigudam.
Officials of the Animal Husbandry and Veterinary Department confirmed the presence of the highly contagious viral disease at a farm owned by Arbind Saikia, prompting immediate containment measures to prevent its spread.
Following confirmation of the outbreak, the district administration invoked Section 163 of the Bharatiya Nagarik Suraksha Sanhita (BNSS) and declared the one-kilometre radius around Halowa village an infected zone. A 10-kilometre radius around the village has been designated as a surveillance zone.
As part of the restrictions, the administration has prohibited the sale, transport and movement of pigs, pork and pig-derived products within the 10-kilometre surveillance zone until further orders.
The prohibitory order was issued by Nagaon Deputy Commissioner Debashish Sarma.
Acting on the district administration's directive, officials of the Animal Husbandry and Veterinary Department culled the infected pigs on Saturday as part of efforts to contain the outbreak.
Authorities have urged pig farmers in the district to remain vigilant and immediately report any unusual illness or deaths among pigs. Surveillance has been intensified in the affected area to prevent further transmission of the disease.
African Swine Fever is a highly contagious viral disease that affects domestic and wild pigs. While it does not infect humans, it can cause severe economic losses due to high mortality among pigs and the need for large-scale culling to contain outbreaks.
