Siliguri (West Bengal), Jan 3 (IANS) Bird flu has hit West Bengal’s Darjeeling district, prompting the administration Saturday to order culling of 60,000 poultry over three days from Sunday. Alarmed at the death of 80 poultry at Pubang in Takhdra of Darjeeling subdivision and of 67 poultry at Matigara in Siliguri subdivision within a week, the district administration sent the samples to the High Security Disease Diagnostic Laboratory at Bhopal.

“One of the samples has tested positive for avian flu,” state animal resources development minister Anisur Rehman told IANS over phone.

“We have asked the district administration to take all measures. Culling will start Sunday,” Rehman said.