close_game
close_game

Rajouri mysterious illness toll 15 after 60-year-old woman’s death

Jan 17, 2025 02:38 PM IST

Jatti Begum is the latest victim of the illness that has left 15 members of three inter-related families dead. She is the wife of 62-year-old Mohammad Yousuf, who had died on January 13.

A 60-year-old woman from the remote Badhaal village died due to a mysterious illness at Government Medical College and Hospital in Rajouri on Friday morning, taking the toll to 15 since December 7 last year.

A 60-year-old woman from the remote Badhaal village died due to a mysterious illness at Government Medical College and Hospital in Rajouri on Friday morning, taking the toll to 15 since December 7 last year. (Representational photo)
A 60-year-old woman from the remote Badhaal village died due to a mysterious illness at Government Medical College and Hospital in Rajouri on Friday morning, taking the toll to 15 since December 7 last year. (Representational photo)

Jatti Begum is the latest victim of the illness that has left 15 members of three inter-related families dead. She is the wife of 62-year-old Mohammad Yousuf, who had died on January 13.

She was taken to the Rajouri hospital on Thursday evening after her health deteriorated. “Despite all efforts, she died around 7.30am on Friday,” said Dr Shamim Choudhary, the medical superintendent.

Yousuf’s nephew Mohammad Aslam’s sixth and last child, Yasmeen Akhter Kouser, 16, was put on ventilator at the Sri Maharaja Gulab Singh (SMGS) Hospital in Jammu on Thursday evening. Aslam has lost five children to the illness.

“The condition of Aslam’s eldest daughter remains critical. In all 15 deaths so far, we observed that the patient sweats profusely before having fever and then the nervous system gets involved,” a senior health official said.

“Investigations and samples empirically indicate that the incidents are not due to a communicable disease of bacterial or viral origin and that there is no public health angle. All samples have tested negative for any viral or bacteriological etiology,” he added.

However, the toxicological analysis conducted by CSIR-Indian Institute of Toxicology Research (IITR) has detected toxins in multiple biological specimens.

Amid speculation of a property dispute and internal enmity, the Rajouri police formed a special investigation team (SIT) to look into the deaths.

The incident came to light on December 7, 2024, when a family of seven fell ill after a community meal, resulting in five fatalities. On December 12, a family of nine related to them got affected, claiming three lives. Exactly a month later on January 12, a family of 10 fell ill after consuming another community meal with six children requiring hospitalisation. Of them, five children have died and the sixth is critical.

rec-icon Recommended Topics
Share this article
See More
SHARE THIS ARTICLE ON
SHARE
Story Saved
Live Score
Saved Articles
Following
My Reads
Sign out
New Delhi 0C
Thursday, February 13, 2025
Start 14 Days Free Trial Subscribe Now
Follow Us On