Legislators in the Jammu & Kashmir Assembly on Wednesday called for a Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) probe into the mysterious deaths in Budhal, Rajouri. The government informed the House that various toxins were detected in samples collected from the area.
During the Question Hour MLA Budhal Javed Iqbal Choudhary raised the demand for a CBI inquiry into the unexplained fatalities in his constituency.
“Different toxins have been found in the samples. It seems they were poisoned with a truckload of toxins,” Choudhary claimed. He alleged that these deaths are part of a larger conspiracy aimed at destabilizing peace in Jammu & Kashmir.
“These deaths shouldn’t be viewed in isolation from the incidents in Kulgam and Kathua. It appears to be an attempt to destabilize peace,” he added, urging for a thorough investigation to uncover the cause of these deaths.
MLA Surankote Choudhary Muhammad Akram supported the demand for a CBI probe. CPI(M) MLA Muhammad Yousuf Tarigami also voiced concern, stating, “The invisible hands behind these deaths must be unmasked. It is ironic that the cause of these deaths remains unknown. What happened there today could happen anywhere tomorrow.”
Responding to the demands, Minister in-charge of Health & Medical Education, Sakina Ittoo, said, “We have done what we could. The Home Department is not under our control.”
She informed the House that an investigation by the Home Department is ongoing. “Further steps will be taken once the investigation is completed,” she said, adding that the deaths were not caused by any disease.
In a written response, the minister revealed that clinical reports, lab investigations, and environmental samples indicated that the incidents were not due to a communicable disease of bacterial or viral origin. According to the PGIMER Chandigarh report, traces of aluminum and cadmium were found.
The CFSL Chandigarh report detected chlorfenapyr in the viscera samples of all 17 deceased—(KNO)
