17 mysterious Rajouri deaths, toxic traces, and no answers from Delhi
Jammu: The unexplained deaths of 17 persons from three families in Rajouri district of Indian illegally occupied Jammu and Kashmir continue to raise serious concerns, with Indian authorities yet to provide clear answers.
According to Kashmir Media Service, the spate of deaths, occurring between December 7 last year and January 19 in Badhal village, have left residents in fear and suspicion, as official investigations fail to offer concrete conclusions.
The wave of unexplained illness prompted the Indian home ministry to set up a high-level team to probe the matter. A special investigation team of IIOJK police was also constituted to unravel the mystery behind the deaths. However, more than two months later, the mystery remains unresolved. According to investigations, traces of various toxins were found in the samples collected from the affected families. Officials said that traces of chlorfenapyr and sulfone, both of which have neurotoxic properties, were found in the samples. They, however, have cautioned that the presence of these compounds doesn’t conclusively establish the cause of deaths of the Badhal victims, further fueling skepticism over the probe’s transparency.
Despite growing demands for clarity, the Indian government and IIOJK administration have yet to make the toxicology reports public.
Indian news portal The Wire quoted a doctor at GMC Jammu, where some of the victims were treated, as having said that the symptoms displayed by the patients from Badhal were consistent with the complications associated with neurotoxic poisoning that results in multiple-organ failure. He, however, said that the primary cause of deaths hasn’t been ascertained so far.
Speaking to The Wire, a senior official in Jammu also affirmed that the exact cause of deaths has not been ascertained so far. “We have got reports from some labs which suggest the presence of multiple toxins. It is likely that some of these toxins incidentally made their way into the samples,” he said, further adding to the ambiguity surrounding the investigation.
A senior police officer who is investigating the case told The Wire that chlorfenapyr was not readily available in the local markets of Rajouri. “It is possible that the toxin was procured from outside. We are investigating the case from all angles,” said the officer, who didn’t want to be named.
As the probe drags on without clear findings, locals are increasingly voicing concerns over the possible role of the Indian army. Many suspect that the deaths could be linked to deliberate contamination of the village’s water supply, potentially as part of a broader strategy to create fear and terror among the Kashmiris. The refusal of Indian authorities to disclose crucial toxicology reports further strengthens suspicions of a cover-up.
