By Mohd Ashraf Ganie
Rajouri: A mysterious illness has left the Badhal village in Jammu Kashmir’s Rajouri district in a state of chaos and grief. With the death of 17 persons so far, the villagers are grappling with continuous fear and uncertainty.
Rubeena Kousar (25) sits on the threshold of her house, her face desolated with grief. Having lost three family members to the “unexplained” sickness, she now lives in constant fear.
“We’re not eating food or drinking water here anymore. I, along with my children, have moved to my parent’s house two kilometres away because I don’t feel safe,” she laments. “No one told me to leave, but how can I stay after what has happened?”
Nearby, 34-year-old Mohammad Afaq stood in a long queue, clutching an empty water container. The village’s natural springs and water sources, once abundant, have been sealed by the administration. Now, the villagers rely on water tankers sent by the Jal Shakti Department.
“We’ve even lost all trust in our water,” says Afaq, his face lined with worry. “We are not allowed to move out as our village is now declared a containment zone. Children are afraid to go outside. Schools are closed, and marriages are postponed. The village feels cursed.”
Badhal, a small, close-knit community, is now under a strict containment order. Houses of affected families have been sealed, and the village has been divided into three zones to contain the spread of the illness.
Authorities have, meanwhile, restricted entry to the houses of the deceased. Families identified as having had contact with the deceased victims are also under constant observation.
The atmosphere in the village is tense, with security forces personnel guarding key locations, including the sealed water spring.
The sealing of the village’s primary water source has only added to the panic. On January 18, authorities sealed and secured the spring after water samples tested positive for toxins.
Jal Shakti Department tankers are now the only source of water for the residents. Tariq Hussain, one of the drivers, described the villagers’ plight. “The spring is sealed, and we are doing everything we can to ensure they have water. But the fear is overwhelming—they don’t trust anything anymore.”
An official order has mandated round-the-clock security at the spring to prevent villagers from accessing the natural water source. “There are apprehensions that some may try to use it stealthily,” a senior officer explained.
The mysterious deaths have baffled health experts as they ruled out bacterial, viral, or zoonotic diseases during a press briefing. “Based on our investigations, the cause is most likely toxins, possibly ingested through food or water,” Dr Shuja Qadri, a senior epidemiologist, said. “Whether this is accidental or deliberate is still under investigation.”
To solve the mystery, an 11-member Special Investigation Team (SIT) has been formed by the Jammu and Kashmir police. A high-level team from the Centre is also investigating the situation in the region. Meanwhile, the deceased's close relatives and high-risk folks have been moved to Rajouri medical facilities.
For the residents of Badhal, life has come to a standstill. Afaq remarked, “We live in constant fear. We hear rumours about what could occur next daily. We have no idea who will become the next victim.”
Similarly, Rubeena finds it difficult to maintain hope as well. “We've already lost so much," she says as tears roll down her cheeks. “We can only pray for answers and the end of this nightmare at this point.”
Read More
