Village bids teary adieu to 17th victim

Rajouri, Jan 20: The number of graves in a newly established graveyard in agriculture fields of Muhammad Aslam in Badhaal village of Rajouri increased to eight as his sixth and last child, Yasmeen Kouser was laid to rest in a freshly prepared grave on Monday.

15-year-old Yasmeen is 17th victim, the village has lost to mysterious deaths, during the past one month and a half, while in her demise, her family has lost its 8th member.

Earlier, Yasmeen’s family saw the death of her five siblings and elderly uncle and aunt of her father (Mohd Aslam) during the past eight days in a sequence of deaths, beginning January 12.

Yasmeen passed away on Sunday evening at SMGS Hospital in Jammu, where she had been undergoing treatment for the past week. She was on ventilator support.

Yasmeen's body was brought back to her native village on Monday evening. Her last rites were performed in the new graveyard, where her five siblings and other family members were also laid to rest.

A large number of villagers and relatives gathered to pay their respects and attend the Namaz-e-Janaza.

People, after participating in last rites and offering Namaz e Janaza, pressed for a speedy probe to ascertain the causes of these deaths.

“We have seen a tragedy in our village. None wants to witness any other Janaza (body),” religious preacher, who led Namaz-e-Janaza, said in his sermons.

He underscored the need to expedite investigation in all aspects to ascertain the causes of these deaths.

“We have faith in our investigation agencies and are thankful to the Government of India for sending an inter-ministerial team. But we eagerly want the conclusion of the investigation,” said the preacher, who termed 17 victims as “martyrs.”

Pertinent to mention here that the cause of these seventeen mysterious deaths remains unknown leaving the community in a state of fear and uncertainty.

Authorities are still investigating the matter, but so far, no conclusive explanation has been found.

While the village was in grief, one resident -- Ikhlaq Shah -- tied the knot in a simple function that saw the groom accompanied by four of his close relatives and friends visiting the home of the bride in the nearby Draj village and performing 'nikah'.

“We cancelled the marriage function due to the grief in the village but performed the nikah ceremony, according to the already-announced schedule,” Shah's relative Mohd Hafeez said.

He said they had sought permission from the executive magistrate concerned and added that no one was invited to the function.