At least three buffaloes died and 25 fell seriously ill after allegedly eating grass laced with poison at a char in Bauphal upazila of Patuakhali.

The incident occurred at Lal Char in Keshabpur union on Friday afternoon.

According to buffalo herders, owners and local people, farmers have been raising buffaloes in the open at Lal Char for years. The animals naturally grow healthy by grazing on the green grass of the char.

As usual, herders took more than 100 buffaloes to Lal Char for grazing on Friday. After eating the grass, around 25 to 30 buffaloes fell ill. One buffalo each belonging to Rafiz Mridha, Suman Majhi and Ruhul Amin died. Several others are in critical condition.

Herders and veterinary practitioners initially suspect that the grass on the char had been poisoned, causing the buffaloes to fall ill after eating it.

Mostafa Fakir, a buffalo owner from Ray Saheb’s area in Chandradwip, said he had been raising buffaloes at Lal Char for around 15 years. Hundreds of buffaloes regularly graze there, but no such incident had occurred before.

“The miscreants may have poisoned the grass out of enmity. The buffaloes are dying after eating it. The condition of 18 of my buffaloes is critical,” he said.

Another buffalo owner, Ruhul Amin, said one of his buffaloes died after eating the poisoned grass, while the others fell ill and were undergoing treatment.

Upazila Sub-Assistant Livestock Officer Mohammad Shahidul Islam said several buffaloes had died before they could reach the spot after receiving the news. The sick buffaloes were being treated, he said.

“Initially, we suspect that the buffaloes died from food poisoning. Samples from the dead buffaloes will be collected and sent to a laboratory. The details will be known after receiving the test report,” he said.

Bauphal Police Station Officer-in-Charge (OC) Mohammad Sirajul Islam said police were sent to the spot after receiving the news.

“Legal action will be taken after an investigation if a written complaint is filed,” he said.