The death toll in the mysterious case of unexplained fatalities in Budhal village, Rajouri, Jammu and Kashmir, has risen to 16, following the passing of an elderly woman on Friday. Jatti Begum, aged 60, died at the GMC Associated Hospital in Rajouri, bringing the total number of victims to 16 within just 45 days.
Jatti Begum was the wife of 65-year-old Muhammad Yousuf, who also passed away a few days ago. Among the victims are 12 children and 4 adults, with the initial deaths in the village occurring on December 5, 2024. Five members of a family, including the head, died after consuming a community meal, and within days, the deaths continued. On December 12, three more children succumbed to the same mysterious illness.
The situation worsened on January 12, 2025, when a family of ten fell ill after another community meal, and since then, eight more deaths have been reported. All of the fatalities are confined to three interrelated families.
The deaths have caused widespread fear in the village of about 5,700 people. Thousands of samples have been collected, but health officials have stated that all tests have come back negative for viral or bacterial infections. Instead, certain neurotoxins were detected in the samples, though the exact cause remains unclear.
A team of state health experts, including epidemiologists and microbiologists from Jammu, Rajouri, and top institutions such as NCDC, NIV Pune, and PGI Chandigarh, have visited the village to conduct screenings, collect contact tracing samples, and work on containing the situation.
To further investigate, a Special Investigation Team (SIT) has been formed, headed by Budhal Superintendent of Police (Operations) Wajahat Hussain. The authorities are working round the clock to find the cause of these mysterious deaths and ensure the safety of the residents.
The village remains on high alert as investigations continue into the potential cause of these tragic deaths.
এনেধৰণৰ অন্যান্য বা-বাতৰিৰ বাবে লাইক কৰক অসম লাইভ ২৪ ৰ ফেচবুক পেজ
