Mysterious Deaths in Budhal: CM Omar Abdullah directs Health & Police
Departments to expedite investigations
JAMMU, JANUARY 17: Chief Minister,
Omar Abdullah today chaired a high-level meeting to discuss the alarming
situation in Budhal village of Rajouri district, where mysterious deaths have
claimed 16 lives, with one more victim succumbing to an unexplained illness.
The meeting was attended by
Minister of Health & Medical Education, Sakeena Itoo; Advisor to the Chief
Minister, Nasir Aslam Wani; Chief Secretary, Atal Dulloo; Additional Chief
Secretary to the CM, Dheeraj Gupta; ADGP Jammu, Anand Jain; Divisional
Commissioner Jammu Ramesh Kumar; Secretary Health & Medical Education, Dr.
Syed Abid Rasheed Shah, and other senior medical and police officers.
Secretary Health & Medical
Education, briefed the Chief Minister on the steps taken so far.
He reported that health department
teams had conducted door-to-door survey of over 3,000 residents in the affected
area, collecting and testing samples of water, food, and other materials.
He informed that all test results,
including those for influenza and other possible contaminants, came back
negative.
The meeting was informed that
additional testing was carried out by premier national institutes, including
ICMR, National Institute of Virology, National Centre for Disease Control,
CSIR, DRDO, and PGIMER Chandigarh, but no definite cause for the deaths was
identified.
Police officials informed the
meeting that investigations are underway to determine the root cause of the
fatalities, which have been limited to three families residing within 1.5
kilometers of each other.
Highlighting the urgency of the
situation, Chief Minister, Omar Abdullah directed the health and police
departments to expedite their 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 stated.
It was also emphasized during the
meeting that the health department has maintained an active presence in the
area over the past 40 days, providing ambulances, medicines, and essential
facilities to address any emergencies.
Expressing his heartfelt
condolences to the bereaved families, the Chief Minister reassured the public
that the administration is treating the situation with the highest priority.
“The health and safety of our citizens remain our top
priority. The government is fully committed to resolving this crisis and
ensuring justice for the affected families,” he added.