Badhaal tragedy: 6th & last child of Mohd Aslam died, death toll risen to 17
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ADC Koteranka sealed a spring in Badhaal as water tests positive for pesticides/insecticides.
Shyam Sood
Rajouri, January 19: The death toll in Badhaal area of Rajouri district has risen to 17 on Sunday evening when the last and the sixth child of Mohd Aslam, identified as Yasmeen Kousar (15 yrs), succumbed to unidentified disease in SMGS hospital in Jammu.
Yasmeen was under treatment in the hospital since January 12 along with her five siblings who fell seriously ill after developing symptoms of fever, sweating, nausea, and loss of consciousness.
It is pertinent to mention here that Mohd Aslam along with his wife and 6 minor children on January 12 had taken sweet rice in a function organised by his father-in-law in memory of his son Fazal Hussain and five grandchildren who died mysteriously between December 7 & 9 in Badhaal village.
At about midnight (3 children namely Zahoor, Naveena & Yasmeen) & on January 13 (3 others namely Mohd Maroof, Safina and Zabina) after symptoms of fever, sweating, vomiting, and dehydration were shifted to Associated Hospital GMC Rajouri from where all were referred to SMGS hospital.
Meanwhile, maternal uncle & aunty of Mohd Aslam identified as Mohd Yousuf (62) and Jatti Begam (60) also complained about the same symptoms and all the 8 members of the family died between January 12 & 19.
The first victim of this unidentified disease was Fazal Hussain s/o Nizam Din who died on December 7 and later his four children died namely Robia, Farheena, Raftar and Rukhsar.
On December 12 Four children of Mohd Rafeeq namely Ishtiaq, Ishfaq, Nazia and Sultan also fell seriously ill and later three died while Sultan (1 yr) is out of danger.
On December 23, the wife of Mohd Rafiq also died in GMC Rajouri.
On Sunday Lt Governor Manoj Sinha while interacting with reporters on the sideline of a function said that the health department and other departments probed the deaths, but the exact cause has not been found yet.
The Home Minister has constituted a team of inter-ministerial experts, and the team has reached and will be assisted by the Rajouri administration.
Meanwhile, Additional DC Koteranka, Dil Mir in his order has directed Jal Shakti Department (PHE) to block (seal) the natural spring in Badhaal area for public use because the water has been tested positive for some pesticides/insecticides.
Tehsildar Khawas has been directed not to allow anybody to use water this spring and asked SHO Kandi (Kotranka) police station to depute 2-3 security personnel 24X7 for the protection of this spring.
