Rajouri/Jammu: 16 deaths in 42 days, mysterious, with no explanations, medical or otherwise. UT government making lame claims, grow up, we are living in the 21st century, how can’t we find the reasons behind these deaths?
Maybe in Kashmir, we can’t understand the intensity of the situation, but just imagine the surrounding villages, and how scared they would be. And with one more death reported today, the mysterious illness that has taken 16 lives in a small village in Budhal village of Rajouri, here has confounded authorities, which remain clueless about the cause of the deaths even 42 days after the first casualty.
Jatti Begum, 60, who perished from unknown causes on Friday is the latest casualty in the series. Another girl still battles for her life.
The victims belong to Budhal village in the Kotranka sub-division of Rajouri district, where 16 members of three families have died since December last year – seven of them since Sunday.
Authorities have sealed three houses belonging to the affected families and shifted 21 of their close relatives to government accommodation to be kept under strict monitoring.
A team led by Additional Deputy Commissioner Dil Mir carried out the operation, with security personnel deployed at the sites, officials said.
Meanwhile, an 11-member SIT, headed by Budhal Superintendent of Police (Operations) Wajahat Hussain, has been formed to investigate the deaths.
Jatti Begum’s husband, Mohammad Yousuf died three days ago in a hospital.
Yasmeen Kouser, 15, the daughter of Mohammad Aslam, remains critical and is on ventilator support at SMGS Hospital in Jammu, officials said.
Of the six children of Mohammad Aslam admitted to SMGS Hospital on Sunday, five have died.
“The situation is being fully monitored on all fronts. Many health and testing agencies are already involved in the investigation to determine the cause of these deaths,” Chief Secretary Atal Dulloo told reporters in Jammu.
“There is no evidence of viral, bacterial, or fungal infections so far. Further investigations are ongoing to identify the cause. To explore any possible criminal angle, an SIT has been formed,” he said.
Dulloo ruled out a health emergency, stating that only three families in the area were affected.
Investigators will examine all food items and medicines consumed by the families of Fazal, Mohammad Rafiq, and Mohammad Aslam, and samples will be sent to laboratories for testing, officials said.
The SIT has started its probe, examining the circumstances in the village, reviewing medical purchases from local chemists, and questioning residents.
A central team comprising experts from premier health and testing institutions is camping in the village.
“All samples have tested negative for any viral or bacteriological cause,” Dulloo said.
“Tests were conducted at reputed institutions, including the National Institute of Virology (Pune), the National Centre for Disease Control (New Delhi), and others,” he said. The first incident was reported on December 7 last year when a family of seven fell ill after a community meal, resulting in five deaths.
On December 12, a family of nine was affected, with three deaths.
The third incident occurred on January 12, involving a family of ten, with six children hospitalised.
On Wednesday night, Zabeena Kouser, 10, another child of Mohammad Aslam, died at SMGS Hospital, while her 15-year-old sister Yasmeen remains critical, officials said.
Reports suggest that the incidents are not linked to any communicable disease.
“Toxicological analysis by CSIR-IITR detected toxins in multiple biological specimens,” a spokesperson said.
BJP accuses govt of being ‘irresponsible’ towards Rajouri deaths
BJP leader and MLA Padder-Nagseni Sunil Sharma today lashed out at the J&K government for its “irresponsible attitude” towards the mysterious deaths in Budhal village of Rajouri.
Sixteen people from three families have lost their lives due to unexplainable circumstances, sending shockwaves in the region.
Sharma criticized Chief Minister Omar Abdullah for his “perceived indifference to the tragedy”, stating that he was enjoying skiing and snowfall while people were losing their lives.
“Chief Minister should have responded promptly to this situation but he preferred to send his ministers who also did not bother to visit the affected village and rather held a meeting at Kotranka and returned which shows that all this was mere eye-wash,” Sharma alleged.
The BJP leader alleged that the chief minister chaired a meeting on Friday only after BJP leaders visited the area and highlighted the plight of the masses.
Sunil Sharma further said that the NC headed J&K government should have been serious about this issue as 16 innocent lives have been lost so far spreading a wave of panic among the local population.
He also expressed his condolences with victim families stating that BJP has enlisted all the issues and grievances of masses and they have been taken up with concerned quarters including GoI for redressal.
Congress, PC demand thorough investigation
Jammu and Kashmir Pradesh Congress Committee (JKPCC) and Peoples Conference (PC) Friday demanded a thorough investigation into the mysterious deaths in Rajouri village.
Peoples Conference president and MLA Handwara, Sajad Gani Lone said that the details obtained about the disease must be shared with national experts. “The seemingly mysterious disease in Rajouri is heart wrenching. I sincerely hope that our medical fraternity is able to identify the cause of the deaths.” Sajad Lone said in a post on ‘X’.
“Such mysterious medical puzzles come up at regular intervals around the world. It is imperative that information about the disease obtained so far is shared nationally with the medical scientists and experts,” he said.
Expressing concern over the loss of lives, Congress has urged the authorities to provide medical aid.
“We are deeply concerned about the tragic situation in Badhal village, Rajouri, where 16 lives have been lost to a mysterious illness. We urge authorities to provide medical aid and investigate the cause.” Congress said in a post on ‘X’
“Congress stands with the affected families during this difficult time,” the post added.
