High-level MHA team starts probe in mysterious deaths in Jammu and Kashmir’s Rajouri

Srinagar: A high-level inter-ministerial team headed by a Director rank officer of the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) has started investigations into the mysterious death of 17 people in Badhaal village of border Rajouri district in Jammu and Kashmir.

The 16-member team, which includes experts from various ministries, arrived in Rajouri on Sunday and immediately convened a meeting with local administration, health officials, and a team from the National Centre for Disease Control (NCDC).

The NCDC team has been stationed in the area for several days, following the unexplained deaths of 17 individuals from three families over the past 45 days.

Since December 7, four separate waves of deaths have struck Badhaal village, leaving at least 28 people affected, including 12 children and a pregnant woman. Doctors believe the deaths are linked to neurotoxins, but the exact source remains undetermined.

Constitution of the inter-ministerial team and deputing it to this border district of Jammu and Kashmir was ordered by Home Minister Amit Shah to join in the ongoing investigation into mysterious deaths.

The team will visit the affected village of Badhaal to conduct a field examination and an on-spot situation review. The investigation aims to determine the cause of the deaths and provide relief to the affected families.

Health experts from several prestigious institutions have been involved in the investigation to help identify the underlying factors behind the deaths.

Local residents, including around 3,000 individuals, have been subjected to various tests to determine the cause of the mysterious illnesses. Reports indicate that the affected individuals experienced symptoms like fever, pain, nausea, and loss of consciousness, with many dying within days of being hospitalised.

Toxicological tests conducted by the CSIR-Indian Institute of Toxicology Research (IITR) have confirmed the presence of toxins in biological samples, but the specific type of neurotoxin and its source remain unclear.

The first deaths occurred in early December, when a family of seven fell ill after consuming a communal meal, with five members succumbing to the illness. A second wave of deaths hit on December 12, affecting a family of nine, three of whom died. The third wave, on January 12, saw a family of ten fall ill after consuming another communal meal, with six children hospitalised.

Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Omar Abdullah has also announced the formation of a multi-disciplinary special investigation team to probe the deaths. Despite extensive testing, including for influenza and other possible contaminants, all results have come back negative. “No definitive cause for the deaths has been uncovered,” Abdullah said in a statement last week.

The ongoing investigation aims to uncover the source of the toxins and ensure the safety of the villagers while providing relief to those affected by the mysterious deaths.