Mysterious deaths in the Pir Panjal valley’s Rajouri region have escalated alarmingly, with the death toll reaching 16 as three additional fatalities were reported over the past three days. J&K Chief Minister Omar Abdullah convened an urgent high-level meeting to address the crisis.
The most recent victim, Jatti Begum, 60, succumbed to her condition within 12 hours of being admitted to the Government Medical College in Rajouri. Since December 7 of the previous year, Badhal village has experienced three significant waves of deaths, ultimately affecting 16 individuals and leaving at least 28 others sickened due to unknown causes. Disturbingly, the fatalities have predominantly impacted three families, including 11 children and a pregnant woman.
In response to the unsettling situation, authorities have established a Special Investigation Team (SIT) composed of police and medical professionals. This decision came after national testing facilities dismissed the possibility of a communicable disease among those who have died.
During the recent meeting, Chief Minister Abdullah expressed deep concern over the unexplained nature of these deaths, pledging the government’s commitment to swiftly uncover the root cause. He urged all relevant departments to work together closely and dedicate every effort necessary to resolve this critical issue.
The Health department has executed an extensive door-to-door survey of over 3,000 residents in the impacted area, meticulously gathering and analyzing samples of water, food, and other potential contaminants.
“Despite thorough testing for influenza and other possible contributing factors, all results have returned negative, leaving us without a definitive cause for these tragic deaths,” Abdullah stated.
Current police investigations are ongoing to identify the underlying reasons for these fatalities, which appear to be confined to three families living within a 1.5-km radius of one another.
BJP legislator and Leader of Opposition in the J&K Assembly, Sunil Sharma, criticized the government’s handling of the situation, accusing them of showing a lack of urgency. “The Chief Minister should have responded promptly from the outset, but his actions suggest a lack of genuine concern,” Sharma remarked.
As the search for answers continues, the community remains on high alert, hoping for swift resolution to this distressing crisis.
