11-member SIT formed to find cause of deaths

Srinagar, Jan 15: With the microbiological testing and investigations ruling out infections causing the fatalities in Budhal village in the Rajouri district, the J&K Police today formed a multi-discipline 11-member Special Investigation Team (SIT) to examine the mysterious deaths of 14 individuals from three families to ascertain the cause of deaths.

The 11-member SIT, led by Superintendent of Police (Operations) Budhal, Wajahat Hussain, has been constituted due to the sensitivity of the ongoing inquest into the deaths, as per an order issued by Senior Superintendent of Police, Rajouri, Gaurav Sikarwar.

The SIT includes Deputy Superintendent of Police (Kandi) Vikram Sarmhal, SHO Kandi Abrar Khan, SHO of the Women Police Station in Rajouri Sushma Thakur, Inspector Rajeev Kumar, Sub-Inspector Pankaj Sharma, and Assistant Sub-Inspector Pawan Sharma.

Additionally, the team has incorporated experts from the Forensic Medicine and Toxicology Department, Microbiology Department, Paediatrics Department, and Pathology Department. The SIT is also set to utilize the expertise of officials from the Food Safety, Agriculture, and Jal Shakti (Public Health Engineering) Departments, along with specialists from the Forensic Science Laboratory (FSL) in Jammu.

The deaths recorded at the police station on December 7, 12, 23, and January 12, involved a man and his four children, a woman and her three children, and a man with his four grandchildren. These deaths earlier sparked concerns of a fatal contagious infection, the detailed reports now pointing in a different direction. With rising concern and toll the J&K administration had on Tuesday instructed officials to analyse reports from various institutions to identify the cause of the deaths. Preliminary findings have revealed the presence of certain neurotoxins in samples from the deceased, which are being further examined to ascertain the exact reasons for the fatalities.

After the first incident, the health department deployed its entire machinery and conducted a door-to-door screening of 3,500 villagers. A team from the Indian Council of Medical Research also carried out extensive sampling in the village.

The SIT has been tasked with providing weekly updates on the progress of the investigation to the district police office, ensuring transparency and accountability in the probe.