SIT questions around 100 people, no clue so far
Srinagar, Jan 22: The Special Investigation Team (SIT) of Jammu and Kashmir Police probing mysterious deaths in Budhal tehsil of Rajouri district has questioned nearly 100 people so far but is still clueless.
The deaths in Badhall village of Budhal, which have taken away 17 lives since December 7, have left authorities in a state of complete bewilderment with no concrete leads emerging.
“We questioned around a hundred people, including 70 people who were present at the wedding where the first cases surfaced. Another 30 people from the locality have also been questioned,” a senior police officer involved in the investigations told Greater Kashmir.
“However, there is no concrete clue yet. We are putting in our best efforts to ascertain the cause of these tragic deaths,” he said.
The SIT, consisting of 11 members, is headed by Budhal Superintendent of Police (Operations) Wajahat Hussain.
It includes forensic experts, pathologists, health officials, and other specialists to ensure that all aspects of the case are properly investigated. Yet, the officer confessed, “There has been no breakthrough in the case so far.”
The SIT is exploring every possible angle, including food poisoning, contamination of water sources and possible exposure to toxic substances. Experts from forensic labs across India have been roped in to assist with advanced testing. “We have expanded the scope of the investigation,” the officer said.
Besides questioning people, extensive forensic and medical tests have been conducted. It has collected over 12,500 samples including blood, plasma, food, water and environmental specimens from national health agencies for testing, but all such tests have ruled out viral and bacterial infections as the cause.
The senior officials told Greater Kashmir that despite the exhaustive testing and analysis, the exact cause of deaths remains elusive. “We are working tirelessly to solve this case, but it is proving to be a complex mystery,” an official said.
Pertinently, victims of the mysterious deaths exhibited similar symptoms before succumbing. These included fever, sweating, vomiting, dehydration, abdominal pain, and episodic loss of consciousness.
The tragic events began unfolding on December 5, 2024, in Kandi village, Budhal tehsil, located approximately 60 kilometers from Rajouri district headquarters.
The deaths first came to light during a community meal at the wedding of Fazal Hussain’s eldest daughter. Fazal Hussain, 40, and several members of his family fell ill after consuming food at the gathering.
He passed away on December 7, and four other family members—Rabia Kousar (14), Rukhhsar (11), Farman Kousar (5), and Raftar Ahmed (5)—died within a week.
On December 12, three other children belonging to the family of Muhammad Rafiq also died. The victims were aged between 8 and 11 years. About a month later, on January 12, ten family members of Mohd Aslam fell ill following another community meeting.
Six of them died, while the last casualty, a minor, died on January 19, raising the death toll to 17.