Village panic after funeral feast: 200 get rabies shots over ‘infected’ buffalo milk raita

Nearly 200 residents of a village in Uttar Pradesh were administered rabies vaccine shots after it emerged that raita—a curd-based Indian dish they had consumed—was prepared using milk from a buffalo that later died after being bitten by a dog.

IBNS • 30 Dec 2025, 10:30 am

According to local media reports, the incident took place in Piprauli village of Badaun district, where the dish was served during a funeral ceremony on December 23.

The buffalo, which had reportedly been attacked by a dog, died three days later on December 26.

The development triggered panic among villagers, prompting them to rush to the Ujhani Community Health Centre to seek precautionary vaccination.

Chief Medical Officer Dr Rameshwar Mishra told India TV, “Prevention is better than cure. Everyone who had any doubts was given the anti-rabies vaccine. Normally, there is no risk of rabies after boiling milk, but the vaccination was administered to eliminate any potential risk.”

Officials said no cases of illness have been reported from the village so far.