GORAKHPUR, June 15 -- The sighting of dead chickens floating in the Kurna River on Friday evening sparked panic among residents of several villages in Siddharthnagar district, raising fears of water contamination and a possible bird flu outbreak. Local residents, alarmed by the discovery, promptly alerted police in the Lotan area. Station house officer (SHO) DK Saroj confirmed the incident and said that water and bird samples were being collected and sent for testing.Police on Saturday arrested a poultry trader, Abdul, son of Jameel, for allegedly dumping the dead chickens into the river. According to the police, Abdul had bought 600 chickens from a poultry farm in the Bankati area of Basti district on June 11. After selling 300 birds, the remaining chickens reportedly fell sick and died. Instead of following standard disposal methods, Abdul dumped the carcasses in the river. District officials, along with a team from the animal husbandry department, visited the site. Chief veterinary officer (CVO) Dr Ganesh Prasad said that a three-member inquiry team has been formed to examine the cause of the chickens' deaths.Four bird samples have been sent to the Indian Veterinary Research Institute (IVRI), Bareilly, for laboratory testing. "There is no confirmation of bird flu as of now. People should not panic. A temporary ban on poultry sales from the region has been imposed as a precautionary measure," Dr Prasad added....