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Jammu: Centre’s inter-ministerial team to investigate Rajouri deaths
Jammu and Kashmir deputy chief minister Surinder Choudhary visited Badhaal village in Rajouri district and assured the people there of a conclusive investigation
Union home minister Amit Shah has ordered constitution of an inter-ministerial team led by the ministry of home affairs to visit Badhaal village in Rajouri district to ascertain the causes of deaths in three incidents in the past six weeks. The team will comprise experts from the ministry of health and family welfare, ministry of agriculture, ministry of chemicals and fertilisers and ministry of water resources.
It will also be assisted by experts from animal husbandry, food safety and forensic science labs. The team would proceed on Sunday and in collaboration with the local administration would also work on providing immediate relief as well as taking precautionary measures to prevent such incidents in future.
Experts from some of the most reputed institutions of the country have been arranged to manage the situation and understand the causative factors of deaths.
With no breakthrough so far in mysterious illness that has caused deaths of 15 people since December 7 last year, fear constantly lurks in Badhaal village. Villagers have urged the administration to probe the root cause of deaths and bring an end to the uncertainty and fear.
“Initially, health experts suspected viral infection but various tests of samples were negative. Teams of experts from Delhi, Chandigarh and Pune have come here since December last year but the exact cause is still not known,” said Surjeet Singh, a villager.
Subsequent studies have found some neurotoxins in the plasma samples of dead. “We urge the government to resolve this mystery and bring an end to these deaths. The people including women, men and children are living under constant fear,” added Singh.
Another villager, Shafqat Ali said, “This unexplained disease has ruined three families despite efforts of the experts. We don’t feel safe anymore. People including children are reluctant to eat food fearing that it may cause their death.”
Ali said that if there was any foul play including poisoning, then police should get hold of the guilty and punish him under the law of the land.
Another villager, Mohammad Hussain said that he never saw such unexplained disease in his life. “These three families are very poor. They have no enmity. However, we are not aware if there is an internal dispute. We urge the police and health experts to take their investigations to some logical conclusion,” he added.
Meanwhile, health department teams continued with their door-to-door surveillance in the village. Kotranka ADC Dilmir Choudhary said, “Since December, we have been active. Health teams are conducting door-to-door surveillance. We appeal to the people to stay calm.”
The cause of the illness remains unidentified, despite extensive efforts by medical experts and organizations such as PGIMER Chandigarh, the National Institute of Virology, and the National Centre for Disease Control (NCDC).
Vinod Kumar, block medical officer of Kotranka, said, “We’re closely monitoring the situation. Reports of illnesses and deaths due to a mysterious disease will be available within 8-10 days. Medical assistance has been provided in 4 wards, and door-to-door counselling and surveillance are ongoing.”
At Jammu’s SMGS Hospital, the condition of Yasmeen Akhter Kouser, 16, remains critical. “She is still on ventilator. There is no improvement in her condition,” said a senior health official.
Meanwhile, Jammu and Kashmir deputy chief minister Surinder Choudhary on Saturday visited Badhaal village in Rajouri district where 15 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,” he 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.
