Rajouri deaths: Shattered Muhammad Aslam recounts moments of horror

Rajouri, Jan 21: A pall of gloom has descended on the residence of Muhammad Aslam in Badhaal village, Rajouri, where his six children, an elderly uncle, and an aunt have fallen victim to an unexplained illness under mysterious circumstances within a span of just one week, from January 12 to 19.

The village has been grappling with a series of unexplained deaths since December 7, 2024, and has now lost 17 lives in total.

Aslam and his wife Shakia Bi are the only survivors in their household, left to navigate the devastation of their shattered lives.

What was once a home filled with the laughter and playful antics of their children has now turned into a somber place, devoid of warmth and joy.

While Shakia Bi is unable to summon the strength to speak and refuses to interact with anyone, her husband, Muhammad Aslam, recounts the horror of their personal loss—a tragedy that is difficult to put into words.

"Who could be more unfortunate than me? I have lost all six of my children, along with an uncle and an aunt who were like parents to me and lived with us," Aslam said, his voice trailing off in disbelief.

Pausing, he added, “I can only pray to God that the truth behind these deaths will come to light soon."

Six deceased children of Aslam include Yasmeen Kouser (15) (who passed away on Sunday), Zahoor Ahmed (14), Nabeena Kouser (8), Maroof Ahmed (10), Safina Kouser (11) and Zabina Kouser (7).

In addition to his six children, Aslam also lost his uncle Muhammad Yousaf (62) and aunt Jatti Begum (60), who lived with the family and considered Aslam as their (adopted) son.

On January 20, the authorities in Badhaal village took the decision to seal the house of Muhammad Aslam.

Eight members of Aslam’s family, including his six children, are among the 17 villagers who have died under unexplained circumstances since December 7.

Despite ongoing investigations, the authorities remain unclear about the cause of these deaths.

The house was sealed after experts, accompanying a high-level inter-ministerial team from the Ministry of Home Affairs, collected samples from the premises on Monday. Following this, the experts recommended sealing the house to prevent any further potential risks and to avoid interference in further sampling.

In response, officials confirmed that the house was sealed. Additional District Magistrate (ADM) Kotranka, Dil Mir, oversaw the process of the house seizure.

"We have seized the house of Muhammad Aslam as recommended by the experts," confirmed ADM Kotranka Dil Mir.