Mystery Illness Claims 17 Lives in IIOJK

A mysterious illness has taken 17 lives in Rajouri’s Badhaal village, with investigations narrowing down the cause to a potential neurotoxin in food, leaving locals in fear and experts scrambling for answers.

In a troubling development in Badhaal village, Rajouri district, four people, including three sisters, were hospitalized after suddenly falling ill amid a rising death toll from a mysterious illness. Over the past month and a half, 17 people have died, with the victims coming from three different families. The central team investigating the incident continues to look for answers, having sent over 200 samples to laboratories across the country.

The victims of the mysterious illness exhibited symptoms such as fever, pain, nausea, excessive sweating, and loss of consciousness before dying within days of hospital admission. The latest victims, aged between 16 and 22, were moved to the Government Medical College (GMC) in Rajouri after their condition worsened on Wednesday. Another critically ill patient, 24-year-old Javid Ahmad, was referred to PGI Chandigarh for further treatment. The new cases are close relatives of those who had already succumbed to the illness.

An inter-ministerial team from New Delhi has been stationed in Rajouri since Sunday to investigate the cause of the deaths. The team, led by a senior officer from the Ministry of Home Affairs, has been reviewing reports from local health and police officials. So far, investigations have ruled out any communicable disease, such as bacterial or viral infections, as the cause. This has led investigators to focus on the possibility of foodborne toxins, with the disease being potentially linked to neurotoxins present in food items consumed by the victims.

Shuja Qadri, a senior epidemiologist at GMC Rajouri, explained that based on early investigations, the deaths appear to be linked to something in the food supply, possibly consumed either accidentally or, in some cases, deliberately. Over 200 food samples have been sent to laboratories across India to screen for toxins, with a particular focus on neurotoxins. Experts hope to isolate the toxin within a week or ten days, allowing them to take preventative measures to stop further fatalities.

The deaths, which took place between December 7 and January 19, have raised serious concerns among local authorities. The situation has become increasingly dire, with fresh cases continuing to emerge, deepening the mystery of the illness. Local MLA Javaid Iqbal Choudhary acknowledged the challenges faced by the village but assured the public that all necessary steps were being taken. He also highlighted that the four new patients were shifted to hospitals for urgent treatment.

The Indian Illegally Occupied Jammu and Kashmir (IIOJK) government spokesperson confirmed that the situation does not indicate a bacterial or viral public health threat. Police have set up a Special Investigation Team (SIT) after traces of neurotoxins were detected in the deceased’s samples.

The investigation continues, with experts hopeful that the cause of the mysterious illness will soon be identified, allowing for swift intervention to prevent further casualties.