Srinagar, Jan 15: Following the tragic deaths of 14 people, including 11 children, in the remote Badhaal village of Rajouri, the Minister for Health and Medical Education, Sakina Itoo, on Wednesday clarified that the fatalities were not caused by any known disease. She called for a comprehensive investigation into the unexplained deaths.
The mysterious deaths have sparked widespread concern, as the cause remains unidentified. The victims, who include three families, showed symptoms such as fever, vomiting, and unconsciousness before passing away.
“It is extremely unfortunate that children have lost their lives in this village. When the first five deaths were reported, there was a great deal of panic regarding their cause. The health department responded swiftly, taking all necessary measures,” Minister Itoo said.
The Health Minister confirmed that an ambulance was on standby and sufficient medical supplies had been stocked. As of now, health checks have been conducted on 3,500 residents of the Badhaal area. The results of FSCL tests and food grain samples have returned negative.
“We have investigated thoroughly and found no indication of a disease or infection. The cause of these deaths remains unknown, and a detailed inquiry is needed to prevent further fatalities,” Itoo added.
The government has consulted multiple agencies, including the Health Department of Jammu and Kashmir, teams from Delhi and Jammu, and national institutions like the Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR) in Pune, the National Centre for Disease Control (NCDC) in Delhi, the Defence Research and Development Establishment (DRDE) in Gwalior, and the microbiology department at PGI Chandigarh. All test results from these institutions, including samples of water and food, have returned negative.
“The police and district administration will investigate the unfortunate deaths, as all victims appeared healthy prior to the incidents and were not suffering from any known illness or infection,” Itoo said, expressing her condolences to the grieving families.
When questioned about reports that certain neurotoxins were found in the samples of some of the deceased, the Minister stated that conclusions would only be drawn after the completion of the inquiry.
“I am in constant communication with the District Development Commissioner and the Senior Superintendent of Police. We are committed to a swift and thorough investigation to uncover the truth,” she said.
In response to the growing concern, the Jammu and Kashmir administration has directed officials to carefully review all reports from national institutions to identify the cause of the deaths. Chief Secretary Atal Dulloo recently chaired a meeting with officials from divisional and district administrations, along with health experts, to review the situation.
Since December 7, 2024, Badhaal village has reported 14 deaths out of 38 affected individuals across three separate incidents. The exact cause of these deaths remains elusive, officials confirmed.
To address the crisis, the government has deployed Rapid Response Teams, analysed human and animal samples, and tested local water sources. Expert assistance from prominent health institutions across the country has been sought in the effort to determine the cause of the deaths.
