RAJOURI, 6 FEB

Villagers from Badhaal, a remote hamlet in Jammu and Kashmir’s Rajouri district, protested on Thursday demanding to return home following the unexplained deaths of 17 residents attributed to a mysterious illness. The villagers have been housed in isolation facilities for the past 12 days, but authorities have yet to determine the cause of the fatalities.

During the protest, the villagers expressed concerns about their abandoned livestock and property, noting that their animals are suffering from neglect and are on the brink of death. In response to the unrest, senior administrative officers arrived at the scene to engage in discussions with the protesters.

The residents were relocated out of precaution after suspicions arose regarding a neurotoxin contaminating the local food chain. Three isolation facilities have been established at the district headquarters in Rajouri. Meanwhile, authorities conducted surprise inspections of pesticide and fertiliser stores, leading to their closure until further notice.

Eleven individuals who had been treated at the Government Medical College (GMC) Hospital for the mysterious illness have now fully recovered and were discharged on Monday. A five-member team from the All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS) in New Delhi recently completed a three-day assessment in Badhaal, interviewing patients and collecting samples for further investigation.

Currently, containment measures remain in place, with 79 families still in isolation. Eight teams of government officials are overseeing the care of over 700 livestock, ensuring their access to food, water, and medical attention. The village has been divided into clusters, each monitored by a multi-departmental team of 182 officials to protect the remaining households.