Jammu: To provide clarity to people on Rajouri's deaths, Dr Ashutosh Gupta, the Principal & Dean, of Government Medical College Jammu and Associated Hospital, disclosed the measures taken by the authorities.
Addressing the media at the office of the Principal at GMC Jammu, Dr Gupta confirmed that the deaths in Rajouri were being thoroughly investigated. He assured the public that all necessary steps were being taken to determine the cause of the fatalities.
A combined team of experts from Government Medical College Jammu and the Directorate of Health has been formed to expedite the investigation. "We assure the people that things are under control, and there is no need to worry, as no new cases have been reported," Dr. Gupta said.
Health teams have been actively engaging with local residents, reiterating their commitment to collect samples for testing to investigate the cause of the deaths. "The loss of life is deeply saddening, and the health department is committed to ensuring transparency in the ongoing investigation," Dr. Gupta emphasized.
A medical team has been deployed to Rajouri, where they are conducting a comprehensive inquiry with the help of food samples and other necessary laboratory tests. Dr. Gupta also announced that a special medical team from GMC Jammu would be sent to assist local hospitals and ensure proper care for the affected individuals.
He assured the public that a report would be shared once more details were available. The Health Department will continue to coordinate with local authorities to provide all necessary resources to manage the situation.
Dr. Gupta urged the public to remain calm as investigations proceed. "We are fully committed to the safety and well-being of our citizens, and we will leave no stone unturned in uncovering the truth," he added.
The recent deaths, which include a father and his four children, as well as two other siblings, occurred in Badhaal village in Kotranka, Rajouri. The first case, which occurred on Sunday, was initially suspected to be food poisoning. However, after another unexplained death on Thursday, the Jammu Kashmir administration acted swiftly, deploying specialized health teams to collect food and water samples for further analysis.
Rajouri’s Deputy Commissioner, Abhishek Sharma, and medical teams have been visiting the village daily to oversee the investigation. Five health teams, supervised by Rajouri’s Chief Medical Officer, Manohar Rana, are collecting samples, which have been sent to the Forensic Science Laboratory (FSL) and a drugs laboratory for detailed analysis to determine the exact cause of the deaths, a health officer told ETV Bharat.
