Assam on Sunday banned transportation of pigs from outside the state and ordered confinement of all domestically-reared pigs to their current locations in six Upper Assam districts in view of “unusual” death of pigs.

In the Ranganadi in Lakhimpur district, pig carcasses were seen floating as people threw them in, instead of burying them six feet underground.

The largescale death of pigs has hit hard the poor families in rural Assam, especially from the Mising community.

Transportation of pigs was also prohibited in the six districts with immediate effect.

“All domestically-reared pigs will not be relocated on any pretext. Transportation of pigs from outside the state and the transportation of live pigs or pig meat/products outside the state is prohibited with immediate effect,” an order said.

Pig rearers were allowed to procure feed for their own farm from the shops or authorised dealers.

Johan Doley, an executive member of the Mising Autonomous Council, said the scale of pig deaths this year is “unprecedented”. As against the Assam government’s Saturday claim of 1,900 deaths, Doley said in a recent ground-level survey they found that 2,000 pigs died in three villages alone under No. 12 Namoni Sisi Tongani, the constituency he represents, in Dhemaji.

The veterinary department is worried whether the large number of deaths has been triggered by African swine fever which has affected countries like China and Laos but not India yet.

Pulin Das, the director of animal husbandry and veterinary, said samples from Assam had reached National Institute of High Security Animal Diseases (NIHSAD), Bhopal, on Sunday and it will take two days to get results.

Pig deaths in Assam were mainly triggered by classical swine fever, which, according to the World Organisation of Animal Health, does not affect humans.

Both Dhemaji and Lakhimpur on Sunday imposed Section 144 CrPC banning slaughtering, sale and transportation of pigs.

Dhemaji deputy commissioner Narsing Pawar appealed to people to contact district helpline number 1077 if any pig died of disease.

Jitumoni Neog, a local resident of Lakhimpur, visited a 6km stretch of the Ranganadi on Sunday and told The Telegraph, “Over 100 dead pigs were seen floating in the river along villages such as Kharkati, Amtala and Damukiyal.”

These villages are about 10km to 15km from Lakhimpur town.

People are demanding strict action against those who have thrown the bodies.

District veterinary officer B. Kakati said he had reports of five-six dead pigs floating in the river near Amtala village. “We buried the carcasses as they are suspected swine fever cases. The local vet has also lodged a complaint with Panigaon police station under Lakhimpur district for an inquiry,” the vet said.

Additional reporting by Hiranya Barman