With several legislators from ruling National Conference besides members of Peoples Democratic Party and sole member of CPI(M) demanding a CBI probe into the “unexplained deaths” that occurred in Budhaal area of Rajouri between December 07, 2024 and January 19, 2025, the tragedy has once again come into focus. Given the history of Jammu and Kashmir, once such tragedies go out of focus, both the governments and the society tends to forget the same and this intentional forgetfulness has left several tragedies here as mysteries as no answers were provided.
Seventeen people, including 13 children, died between December 7 and January 19 in the village. At that time, the deaths sparked widespread concern among lawmakers and locals alike. However, once the public outcry was over, the issue seemingly was thrown into cold store without providing any scientific reasons behid the deaths. However, during the budget session of the Assembly, it has once again surfaced with legislators demanding CBI probe and the Health Minister saying that “The investigation under the home department is actively pursuing leads.”
As per the Minister, clinical reports, laboratory investigations and environmental samples indicated that the incidents are not due to communicable diseases of bacterial or viral origin and have pointed instead to traces of aluminium, cadmium, and specific chemical compounds in food and environmental and forensic analysis by the Central Forensic Science Laboratory (CFSL) in Chandigarh detected chlorfenapyr, an insecticide, in the viscera samples of all 17 deceased individuals. The Minister insisted that the authorities continue to probe the source of chlorfenapyr contamination, with forensic and toxicological analyses ongoing. However, the concerned MLA, expressing dissatisfaction with the current findings, insisted that the gravity of these incidents necessitates a thorough probe by the CBI to uncover any underlying causes”.
It has been more than three months now and the authorities are still clueless about the whole issue. Though some normality has returned to the area but people there are in panic and they are angry as they are keen to know the reasons and the authorities have miserably failed to come up with any convincing answers. To ensure peoples’ safety is the prime duty of every government. Jammu and Kashmir government needs to speed up the investigation into these unexplained deaths. Health experts, police and civil administration need to be on the same page. The probe needs coordinated efforts with a sense of urgency. The government should issue a daily bulletin regarding the progress in the probe and share with the public every minute detail. People have been losing faith in the administration. 17 deaths and no explanation – people are running out of patience. Let the entire administration focus on the investigation involving experts from all concerned fields. The Administration has to be transparent and share all the details with the public to avoid rumour mongering and to earn peoples’ trust.