A mysterious illness that has been spreading rapidly in Jammu and Kashmir’s Rajouri district claimed its latest victim on Sunday, bringing the death toll to 17. The most recent fatality is identified as Yasmeen Kousar, the youngest of six children of Mohd Aslam, who was undergoing treatment at the SMGS hospital in Jammu. Yasmeen’s death follows the tragic loss of her five siblings and grandparents last week.
Earlier deaths have also been reported from two other families in Budhal village, with nine people dying between December 7 and 12.
In response to the growing crisis, a high-level inter-ministerial team has been dispatched to Rajouri. On Saturday, Union Home Minister Amit Shah ordered the formation of this team to investigate the cause behind the deaths, which have struck three interrelated families in the remote village.
Lt Governor Manoj Sinha confirmed that while the J&K Health Department and other authorities have been investigating the deaths, the exact cause remains undetermined. “The team of inter-ministerial experts has arrived, and the police are conducting a detailed investigation,” he said.
The team, consisting of 16 experts, arrived at the district headquarters on Sunday and will visit the village, located 55 kilometers away.
Symptoms and Investigation
The symptoms of the illness include fever, nausea, pain, loss of consciousness, and ultimately death. However, officials clarified that the deaths are not linked to any communicable disease of bacterial or viral origin. “All samples tested negative for any viral or bacteriological causes,” said an official.
Toxicological analysis conducted by the CSIR-Indian Institute of Toxicology Research (IITR) has revealed the presence of toxins in several biological specimens. The illness initially emerged when a family of seven fell ill after consuming a meal, with five of them dying. A similar outbreak affected another family of nine on December 12, claiming three lives. On January 12, a third family of 10 fell ill after a community meal, with six children requiring hospitalization.
Authorities are continuing their investigation into the source of the toxins, with efforts underway to prevent further casualties.
