New Delhi: Union Home Minister Amit Shah has ordered the constitution of an inter-ministerial team to visit a village in Rajouri district to ascertain the causes of deaths in three incidents in the past six weeks.
The team will be headed by a senior Union home ministry officer and consist of experts from the ministries of health and family welfare, agriculture, chemicals and fertilisers, and water resources, according to an official statement.
The team will also be assisted by experts from the animal husbandry, food safety and forensic science labs.
The central team will proceed on Sunday and, in collaboration with the local administration, also work on providing immediate relief as well as taking precautionary measures to prevent such incidents in the future, according to the statement.
Experts from some of the most reputable institutions in the country have been arranged to manage the situation and understand the causes of the deaths.
At least 16 people have died of a mysterious illness in the Budhal village of Rajouri district in the past 45 days.
People complained of fever, pain, nausea and loss of consciousness before dying within days of their admission to hospitals. A girl continues to remain critical.
Earlier, a Jammu and Kashmir government spokesperson said investigations and samples empirically indicated that the incidents were not due to a communicable disease of bacterial or viral origin and that there is no public health angle. (PTI)
‘We were never more afraid,’ say people of Rajouri village struck by series of mysterious deaths
Fear and grief writ large on their faces, people in this remote mountain village of Rajouri district are stunned by a series of mysterious deaths which happened one after other over the past 45 days.
A local said their fear of death was never so high, not even during the Covid pandemic, or when the militancy was at its peak.
The authorities have ruled out the possibility of any communicable disease behind the deaths.
A newly formed special investigation team of police has rounded up over 60 people for questioning as part of its investigation after autopsy reports by CSIR-IITR revealed the presence of neurotoxins.
On Friday, Chief Minister Omar Abdullah chaired a high-level meeting here to discuss the situation in Badhaal village of Kotranka sub-division and directed health and police departments to expedite investigations.
Located about 55km from Rajouri district headquarters, the villagers are gripped by fear and want the mystery to be resolved already.
People complained of fever, pain, nausea and loss of consciousness before dying within days of their admission to the hospitals. A girl alone was able to buck the trend and withstand the condition for days. Her condition though continues to be critical.
According to a doctor, the MRI scan of the patients revealed oedema in the brain, a condition where fluid builds up in the brain tissue.
“It is a big challenge for all of us … I appeal to the people that if anyone has any clue, please come forward and help in the ongoing investigations,” National Conference leader and local Member of Legislative Assembly (MLA) Javid Iqbal Choudhary said.
A new graveyard has come up in the village on agricultural land belonging to Mohammad Aslam, who lost five children and his maternal uncle and aunt, who adopted him, between January 12 and 17.
Aslam’s brother-in-law Fazal Hussain and his four children were the first to die under suspicious circumstances in the village on December 7. They were initially believed to have perished to food poisoning for the family had attended a wedding just before.
The pregnant wife of Mohammad Rafiq, a cousin of Aslam, and her three children died on December 12.
“The government responded to the situation in a very sensitive manner, leaving nothing to chance. Health teams from within and outside J&K were mobilised and all the villagers were screened within the shortest possible time,” Choudhary said.
He said the chief minister has been monitoring the situation since day one.
“The meeting chaired by the chief minister was informed that a total of 68 people have been rounded up for questioning by the SIT,” he said, expressing hope that everything will become clear once the probe is complete.
A grieving Aslam did not rule out a “conspiracy” against his family.
“Hundreds of people had a feast but only Hussain and his children died first. A few days later my cousin’s wife and children passed away and then death reached my doorstep. How is it that only our family perished like this?” he said, adding that his family had meals at Hussain’s house where a special prayer meeting was held to mark the 40th day since the deaths.
He said fear has gripped the villagers to such an extent that many avoided meeting him when he was grief-stricken.
Zaheer Ahmad Gorsi, a local social activist, said the villagers are yet to come to terms with the unexplained deaths. “A new graveyard has to be prepared … It is a testing time for the whole village.”
Zahid Shah, a relative of Aslam, said he has full faith in the administration and the police.
“This type of fear was not there even when militancy was at its peak or during the COVID-19 pandemic. People are not coming forward even to dig the grave for the dead,” Nazim Din, another relative, said.
Earlier, a government spokesperson said investigations and samples empirically indicate that the incidents were not due to a communicable disease of bacterial or viral origin and that there is no public health angle.
“All samples taken from the victims and the villagers have tested negative for any viral or bacteriological aetiology. The tests were conducted on different samples in some of the most reputed labs in the country.
The toxicological analysis conducted by CSIR-IITR has detected toxins in multiple biological specimens.
The chief minister said the administration is treating the situation with the highest priority.
“The health and safety of our people remain our top priority. The government is fully committed to resolving this crisis and ensuring justice for the affected families,” Abdullah earlier said. (PTI)
Dy CM Choudhary visits bereaved families, promises investigation
Jammu and Kashmir Deputy Chief Minister Surinder Choudhary on Saturday visited Rajouri district’s Badhaal village, where 16 people died of mysterious illness in less than two months, and assured the people there of a conclusive investigation.
“This is a big tragedy for the village, J&K and the nation. No government likes people dying in such circumstances,” the deputy chief minister told reporters after meeting the surviving members of the bereaved families.
Choudhary said he had assured the families that the government would take the ongoing probe to a logical conclusion.
“If the deaths are the result of some natural cause, the government cannot do much about it. However, if it is found to be otherwise, nobody will be spared. We will find out how all these people lost their lives and we are hopeful that the reality will come before everyone soon,” he said.
Sixteen members of three families have died since December last year – seven of them since Sunday — in Badhaal village of Rajouri’s Kotranka subdivision.
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.
The deputy CM said medical teams are on the ground and working to address any concerns.
He said a Special Investigation Team constituted by the police is investigating the cause behind the deaths.
“The Chief Minister is personally monitoring the situation and all efforts are being made to ascertain whether these deaths were due to natural causes,” Choudhary said and advised the public not to panic.
“An initial payment of compensation has been given to the affected families,” he said.
SIT widens probe into mysterious deaths in Rajouri village
The 11-member Special Investigation Team (SIT), constituted by Jammu and Kashmir Police to investigate the mysterious deaths in the Badhaal area of Rajouri district, has expanded its probe so as to not leave any angle unexplored.
The deaths, which have claimed 16 lives over the past 45 days, have sent shockwaves through the remote village and raised many questions.
News agency KINS reported that the SIT, led by Superintendent of Police (Operations) Budhal, Wajahat Hussain, is delving deep into the case to uncover the truth behind the tragic fatalities.
According to sources, the team has visited the affected area for collecting evidence and speaking to residents to piece together the circumstances surrounding the deaths.
As per the government, initial reports had suggested presence of neurotoxins in samples collected from the deceased, but further analysis is ongoing to confirm the cause of death.
Police have registered four daily diary reports (DDRs) on December 7, 12, 23, and January 12, covering the fatalities that have devastated multiple families.
Among the victims were a man and his four children, a woman and her three children, and another man along with his four grandchildren—all lost under mysterious circumstances.
Sources indicate that the SIT is leaving no stone unturned, even probing the possibility of a criminal conspiracy. “We are questioning individuals and reviewing evidence collected from the area. Our goal is to uncover the truth and deliver justice to the grieving families,” a member of the SIT, wishing anonymity told KINS.
While the investigation primarily focuses on scientific findings, the SIT has not ruled out the possibility of foul play. Several people have been questioned as part of the inquiry, and all leads are being thoroughly examined to ensure no detail is overlooked.
The SIT has reassured residents that all necessary steps are being taken to solve the case. Health department teams and other experts are working closely with the investigation to determine the root cause of the fatalities.
A senior police official urged the public to remain calm and cooperate with the inquiry. “We understand the fear and grief in the community, but we request everyone to trust the process. The SIT is committed to providing answers,” the official said. (With inputs from KINS)
