Prayagraj, July 12: Thirty-five cows were found dead at a temporary shelter in Kandi village in Bahadurpur in Prayagraj district on Friday, sending shock waves in the area. Continuous rains and lightning are said to be the main cause behind the deaths.

"We believe that the cattle died due to lightning. This seems to be the reason prima facie," District Magistrate Bhanu Chandra Goswami told reporters. Uttar Pradesh: Over 100 Cows Found Dead in Muzaffarnagar Over Two Days, Probe Ordered.

The incident has come to light just days after Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath directed officials to ensure that the cow sheds are self-reliant and all facilities are provided to the animals in order to protect them.

Last week, more than a dozen cows died due to hunger at a cow shelter in Kannauj. The deaths triggered protests by locals outside the cow shelter. According to the locals, at least 15 cows have died or went missing while the shelter workers took half a dozen cows away on loaders.

(The above story first appeared on LatestLY on Jul 12, 2019 06:51 PM IST. For more news and updates on politics, world, sports, entertainment and lifestyle, log on to our website latestly.com).