Srinagar, Jan 17: Chief Minister Omar Abdullah chaired a high-level meeting to address the mysterious deaths in Budhal.
Omar Abdullah emphasized that the government is fully committed to identifying the root cause of the deaths. “The unexplained nature of these deaths is deeply concerning, and the government is committed to ensuring that the root cause is identified at the earliest. I urge all departments to collaborate and leave no stone unturned in resolving this issue,” he said during the meeting.
The meeting, attended by senior officials including the Minister of Health & Medical Education, Sakeena Itoo; Chief Secretary, Atal Dulloo; ADGP Jammu, Anand Jain; and other senior medical and police officers, was convened to tackle the alarming situation in Budhal village, where 16 people have died, and another person has fallen ill with an unexplained illness.
The Chief Minister was briefed by the Secretary of Health & Medical Education, Dr. Syed Abid Rasheed Shah, who reported that health department teams had conducted a door-to-door survey of over 3,000 residents in the affected area, collecting and testing samples of water, food, and other materials. Despite extensive testing, including for influenza and other potential contaminants, all results came back negative.
Further investigations were conducted by prestigious national institutes such as ICMR, National Institute of Virology, National Centre for Disease Control, CSIR, DRDO, and PGIMER Chandigarh. However, no definitive cause for the deaths has been identified so far.
Police officials informed the meeting that investigations are ongoing to determine the root cause of these fatalities, which have been isolated to three families living within a 1.5-kilometer radius of each other.
Highlighting the urgency of the situation, Omar Abdullah directed both the health and police departments to expedite their investigations. The meeting also emphasized that the health department has maintained an active presence in the area for over 40 days, providing ambulances, medicines, and essential facilities to address any emergencies.
Expressing his heartfelt condolences to the bereaved families, the Chief Minister reassured the public that the administration is treating the situation with the highest priority. “The health and safety of our citizens remain our top priority. The government is fully committed to resolving this crisis and ensuring justice for the affected families,” he added.
