Srinagar/Rajouri, 17 January 2025: As another woman succumbed to a “
mysterious illness” in Rajouri’s Budhal village, raising the death toll to 16, including 12 children over the past 45 days, Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Omar Abdullah convened a high-level meeting, directing officials to expedite the investigation.
Identified as Jatti Begum, the 16th victim passed away on Friday morning at GMC Rajouri while undergoing treatment.
This follows the death of her husband, Mohammad Yousuf, earlier in the week due to the same “mysterious illness,” doctors at the hospital informed.
“Yousuf and Begum were relatives of Mohammad Aslam, who lost five children to the unexplained ailment.”
Amid growing alarm, Chief Minister Omar Abdullah chaired a high-level meeting to address the situation. Senior officials, including Health Minister Sakeena Itoo, Advisor Nasir Aslam Wani, Chief Secretary Atal Dulloo, Additional Chief Secretary Dheeraj Gupta, ADGP Jammu Anand Jain, Divisional Commissioner Jammu Ramesh Kumar, and Secretary Health & Medical Education Dr. Syed Abid Rasheed Shah, were present, alongside other senior medical and police officers.
Secretary Health & Medical Education briefed the Chief Minister on measures taken, revealing that door-to-door surveys covered over 3,000 residents in the affected area. “Samples of water, food, and other materials were collected and tested, with results showing no contamination or signs of influenza or other known illnesses.”
Besides, advanced testing was conducted by national institutes such as the ICMR, National Institute of Virology, National Centre for Disease Control, CSIR, DRDO, and PGIMER Chandigarh. However, no definitive cause for the deaths has been identified.
Police officials reported that the deaths are confined to three families living within a 1.5-kilometer radius.
Expressing deep concern, Chief Minister Omar Abdullah urged health and police departments to expedite investigations.
“The unexplained nature of these deaths is deeply concerning, and the government is committed to ensuring that the root cause is identified at the earliest. I urge all departments to collaborate and leave no stone unturned in resolving this issue,” he said.
He assured that the government is prioritizing the health and safety of citizens. “Our administration is treating this situation with the utmost seriousness. The safety and well-being of our people remain our top priority,” the Chief Minister stated.