16 People Killed In 45 Days In Rajouri: What’s Happening In Jammu & The Link With Neurotoxins? | Explained – News18
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CM Omar Abdullah has asked officials to intensify probe to ascertain how neurotoxin spread among people in Rajouri, killing 16 people. Central team will visit the district on Sunday to conduct probe.
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As many as 16 people have died within nearly 45 days due to mysterious illness in Budhal village of Rajouri district in Jammu and Kashmir, triggering concerns in the region and propelling the government to set up teams to probe the incidents.
Chief Minister Omar Abdullah on Thursday convened a meeting in this regard and directed the health and police authorities to expedite the probe and identify the causes of deaths.
“The unexplained nature of these deaths is deeply concerning. The government is fully committed to uncovering the root cause and ensuring the safety of our people. All departments must collaborate and leave no stone unturned to resolve this issue,” Abdullah said in the meeting.
He said that his government is committed to resolving the crisis and “ensuring justice for the bereaved families”.
Health Minister Sakeena Itoo and Chief Secretary Atal Dulloo were among those who attended the meeting.
Union Home Minister Amit Shah has ordered to constitute an inter-ministerial team led by the MHA to visit Badhaal village in Rajouri to probe the causes of deaths. The team will consist of experts from the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare, Ministry of Agriculture, Ministry of Chemicals and Fertilisers and Ministry of Water Resources.
They would visit the district on Sunday.
When Did The First Incident Take Place?
The first incident was reported on December 7, 2024, after a family of seven people fell ill following a community meal, leading to five deaths.
On December 12, a family of nine was affected, causing three fatalities.
The third incident was reported a month later on January 12 in which a family of 10 people fell ill after another community meal. Six children were hospitalised in the incident.
10-year-old Zabeena Kouser died at Jammu’s SMGS Hospital on Wednesday night. Her 15-year-old sister Yasmeen Kouser was reportedly critical, the officials said.
The government has said that it has taken multiple steps to ascertain the root cause of the illness.
How Far Has The Investigation Reached?
The health department teams have conducted door-to-door surveys of over 3,000 residents in the affected area and collected and tested samples of water, food, and other materials.
“All test results, including those for influenza and possible contaminants, have come back negative,” an official said.
He further stated that even advanced testing conducted by leading national institutes, such as ICMR, the National Institute of Virology, the National Centre for Disease Control, CSIR, DRDO, and PGIMER-Chandigarh, was unable to identify a definitive cause of the deaths.
According to the police, the deaths were confined to three families living within 1.5 km distance from each other. Further probe is underway to establish any links or causes behind the deaths.
The health department has been active in the area for over 40 days since the first death occurred, and provided ambulances and essential services to manage emergencies, the officials said.
Jatti Begum, 60, died of unknown causes on Friday is the latest casualty in the series of deaths. Another girl is still battling for her life, they added.
The victims are from Badhaal village in the Kotranka sub-division of Rajouri district, where 16 members of three families have died since December last year, including seven fatalities since Sunday.
Authorities have sealed three houses belonging to the affected families and relocated 21 close relatives to government accommodations, where they will be kept under strict observation.
However, the autopsy reports of the deceased people by CSIR-IITR revealed the presence of neurotoxins.
How Did The Locals React?
A new graveyard has been established on agricultural land owned by Mohammad Aslam, who tragically lost five children, along with his maternal uncle and aunt, between January 12 and 17.
Yasmeena Jan, Aslam’s only surviving daughter, remains in critical condition.
However, no other villagers have reported illness, deepening the mystery, according to the reports.
The first fatalities occurred on December 7 when Aslam’s brother-in-law, Fazal Hussain, and his four children died under suspicious circumstances, initially attributed to food poisoning after attending a wedding.
On December 12, Aslam’s cousin, Mohd Rafiq, lost his pregnant wife and three children.
A local said that their fear of death was never as high as it is at the moment.
How Did The Politicians React?
A BJP delegation visited the village on Thursday to meet the families of the victims and assured them of stringent action if any evidence of foul play is found.
Former J&K BJP chief Ravinder Raina-led delegation visited Budhal and met the families and consoled them while also assuring them of justice.
“The tragic loss of precious lives has shattered the whole region and the party stands with the families in this difficult hour,” he said.
LG Manoj Sinha also spoke to the grieving families and assured them of quick action.
“The matter is of grave concern. The loss of precious lives has shaken us all emotionally,” Raina said, adding the LG administration is taking the issue seriously and examining all possible angles.
Health Minister Sakina Masood said that the situation was being monitored on a regular basis.
“Investigations and sample analyses indicate that the incidents are not due to a communicable disease of bacterial or viral origin and there is no public health angle,” she said.
What Are Neurotoxins?
A neurotoxin is a substance that disrupts the normal function of the nervous system by damaging or impairing nerve cells (neurons). Neurotoxins can affect the brain, spinal cord, and peripheral nerves, leading to a variety of symptoms depending on the toxin and its severity.
These substances can be produced by natural organisms, such as bacteria, plants, or animals, or can be synthetic chemicals.
The health department experts said on Saturday that the deaths in the village were caused by neurotoxins.
Principal of Government Medical College (GMC) Rajouri, Dr AS Bhatia said that the deceased people shared a common medical condition — brain swelling, or edema.
Dr Bhatia said that the neurotoxins that were found in the samples analysed by top laboratories of the country resulted in brain damage.
“We try to mitigate the problem of patients reporting with brain damage, but once the patient reports with serious brain damage, we cannot reverse the condition,” Dr Bhatia said.
Samples from the village were analyzed at the National Centre for Disease Control (NCDC), the National Institute of Virology in Pune, and other laboratories. The tests ruled out any communicable disease, as no virus or bacteria were detected. However, the results confirmed the presence of toxins in the analysed samples.
(With inputs from agencies)
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