Indore: A sudden surge of pilgrims at Shiv temple on Devguradia hillock has prompted the forest department officials to form teams for the safety of peacocks found abundantly in the locality.

The forest department has formed four teams to man the hillock, which of late, had become infamous for deaths of the national bird. Five peacocks have been found dead and one critically injured in Devguradia since last one month.

The deaths of peacocks were earlier attributed to poisoning, but forest officials are yet to get a confirmation from laboratory test reports of the viscera of dead birds.

However, the forest teams have not ruled out possibilities that it could be handiwork of some villagers.

With the festive season starting, the devotees throng the temple in large numbers. The peacocks habitat is disturbed, said Ralamandal rescue team in-charge Pradeep Parashar. Besides, there is also a risk of forest fire, he added.

“The teams have been specially trained to deal with fires and save animals, said Parashar adding, “”we are making all possible arrangements to prevent any recurrence of peacock deaths.