Rajouri tragedy: Epidemiological team reaches Badhaal Village to probe mysterious deaths

Srinagar, Jan 16: A high-level team of doctors and scientists from the Government of India has once again arrived in Badhaal village in Rajouri district to investigate the cause behind 15 mysterious deaths over the past 40 days. The residents of the village continue to live in fear as they remain uncertain of the source of these deaths, which have gripped the entire community in a state of dread.
Chief Medical Officer (CMO) Rajouri, Dr. Manohar Lal, told Rising Kashmir that the team from the National Centre for Disease Control (NCDC), along with experts from PGI Chandigarh and other reputed hospitals, has been deployed to conduct another survey. They are taking samples and performing surveillance to uncover the cause of the deaths in this snow-bound area.
“Active surveillance and sampling are underway to investigate the cause of these deaths in Badhaal, which has a population of 5,759 spread across hilly terrain and isolated clusters,” Dr. Lal explained. “We are leaving no stone unturned in our efforts to identify the cause.”
Initially, the deaths were suspected to be caused by poisonous food, but laboratory testing later ruled out that possibility. In response, the Rajouri health department has been tirelessly working to contain the situation. This includes setting up medical camps, deploying mobile health teams, and strengthening peripheral hospitals, such as CHC Kandi, with referrals to GMC Rajouri for further evaluation.
“We are monitoring the situation through active and passive surveillance. We have also set up control rooms at Badaal base camp, Kandi headquarters, and the Chief Medical Office in Rajouri to ensure constant communication,” Dr. Lal said.
The coordinated efforts of multiple government departments include health authorities conducting blood and urine tests, water samples being analyzed by the Public Health Engineering (PHE) Department, and the Animal Husbandry Department investigating any potential animal-related causes. Food, drugs, and other consumables are also under scrutiny to identify any potential contamination.
As of now, the health department has conducted over 10,000 health check-ups, including follow-up exams, to ensure the safety of the population. Surveillance teams remain in the village, regularly conducting health checks to monitor the situation.
“We have all necessary medicines available, but we still do not know the exact cause of these deaths,” Dr. Lal said. “We are trekking for 30-45 minutes to reach scattered households and ensure their safety.”
The residential houses in Badhaal village are widely dispersed, with most residents engaged in agriculture, and many households keeping domesticated animals.
Teams from the Health Ministry, National Institute of Virology Pune, PGI Chandigarh, JMC Jammu, GMC Rajouri, and State Epidemiology Teams had previously visited the village on December 15 to investigate the deaths. Despite their efforts, no clear cause has yet been identified.
So far, 15 individuals, including 12 children and three adults from three families, have tragically died from the unknown disease. One more child is currently receiving treatment at SMGS Hospital in Jammu.
Amid growing concern, the Jammu and Kashmir administration has instructed officials to thoroughly analyze the reports from various institutions in order to determine the cause of the deaths.