A special investigation team of police has been constituted to investigate the mysterious death of 14 people, including some children, at Budhaal in Rajouri.
The SIT was constituted after the investigations by medical experts could not detect the root cause of the deaths. The team will be headed by Wajahat Hussain, Superintendent of Police (SP), Budhal. Other members of the team include officials of the police and experts from forensic microbiology, paediatric and pathology.
Exclusive Statement of Health Minister Sakina Ittoo Addresses Mysterious Deaths in Badal, Rajouri.pic.twitter.com/32P8MrFOwB
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“The team will make sincere efforts to work out the inquest proceedings to its logical conclusions at the earliest. The SIT shall also utilise the services of experts from the Food and Safety departments, Agriculture, Jal Shakti and experts of FSL Jammu during the investigations. Progress achieved be shared with DPO on weekly basis for submission to higher-ups,’’ an official letter said.
Dr Amarjeet Singh, Principal, of Government Medical College Rajouri, told THE WEEK, “The deaths began last December, affecting members of a single family, including several children and their father, Fazal.”
“Subsequently, members of another family in the same village also passed away in a similar situation,” he said, adding that after this no deaths were reported for 40 days. “However, after eating food at Fazal’s home on the 40th day after his passing, six members of his sister’s family, including four children, fell ill and later died,” he said.
He said the authorities took swift action and teams from the Pune Institute of Virology, Chandigarh, DRDO and Jammu Medical College to Rajouri visited Rajouri to determine the cause of the deaths. “Blood samples were collected from several individuals, but no virus was detected,’’ he said. “Since all three families affected by these deaths are related, the Chief Secretary has ordered the formation of an SIT to delve deeper into the matter.”
Since the victims had exhibited symptoms such as fever, vomiting, dehydration, sweating and episodic loss of consciousness, it was thought that some virus or bacteria caused the deaths. The authorities are trying to uncover possible other causes that may be responsible for the deaths.
