Diplomat Correspondent
Budhal, (DD) Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Omar Abdullah on Tuesday visited Badhaal, a remote village in Rajouri district, to offer condolences to the grieving families of 17 people, including 13 children, who died under mysterious circumstances over the past six weeks.
Accompanied by local National Conference MLA Javaid Iqbal Choudhary, the chief minister visited the graveyard to pay respects and offered ‘Fateh’ (special prayers) for the deceased. Expressing deep sympathies with the affected families, Omar personally met Mohd Aslam, who lost six of his children in the tragedy. Aslam and his wife are the only survivors of their family, now supported by his maternal uncle and aunt.
The deaths, which occurred between December 7 and January 19, have devastated three interconnected families in the mountainous village, located 55 km from the Rajouri district headquarters.
The visit coincided with an ongoing investigation led by a high-level inter-ministerial team tasked with determining the cause of the fatalities. Preliminary findings indicate that the deaths are not linked to any communicable bacterial or viral disease. However, samples from the deceased revealed traces of neurotoxins, leading to the suspicion of environmental contamination.
Authorities have sealed a village spring after its water tested positive for pesticides or insecticides, and a Special Investigation Team has been constituted to probe the matter further.
The government has assured the public that there is no immediate public health threat, but this tragic incident has highlighted the urgent need for stricter environmental safeguards, water safety measures, and enhanced support for the affected families.(DD)
