After 14 people, including 11 children, lost their lives due to a mysterious disease in Badhal village of Jammu & Kashmir’s Rajouri districts, a wave of panic gripped the region. Initial reports ofhave revealed the presence of neurotoxins in samples from the deceased.

Experts investigation revealed that extensive microbiological tests had ruled out viral, bacterial, and microbial infections as potential causes. Instead, the deaths appear to be localised and possibly connected epidemiological.

“More than a dozen deaths in three families in a remote village in the border district of Rajouri were not caused by any mysterious disease as tests conducted both within and outside the Union Territory have returned negative results. The health department could not find any disease, virus or infection that caused the deaths,” Health Minister Sakeena Masood said on Wednesday.

“The deaths in the three families that are related to each other in Badhaal village of Kotranka sub-division since December 7 last year are of great concern, and police and the district administration will undertake a speedy probe to unveil the mystery,” she assured people.

Minister Masood said that the health department mobilised its entire machinery after getting information about the deaths of five people and screened 3,500 villagers door to door.

“It [health department] took samples and sent those for testing in various laboratories within and outside Jammu and Kashmir. Three more people died a few days later, prompting the department to seek the assistance of the country's premier health institutions. Their teams arrived here and carried out a detailed investigation,” the minister told reporters.

This has raised suspicion that the cause may be external, with certain neurotoxins identified in the samples taken from the deceased. The investigation into these toxins is ongoing, with further testing to determine their exact nature and how they might have contributed to the fatalities.

In response to the growing panic among people, Chief Secretary Atal Dulloo convened a high-level meeting with officials from the divisional and district administrations, along with health experts from several leading national institutions. The meeting aimed to review the measures taken so far and outline the next steps in determining the cause of these deaths.

“Reports from various institutions are now available, and we expect more in the coming days,” Chief Secretary Dulloo said in the meeting. “These reports should provide us with sufficient information to bring the investigation to a close and pinpoint the cause behind these deaths.”

Dulloo urged the Health and Police departments to collaborate closely, emphasising the importance of analysing the available reports to uncover the real cause.

The Police Department has been instructed to use all available resources, including scientific methods, to move the investigation forward, while the Health Department has been tasked with studying the reports for any potential leads.

Much like the men, the women did so surrounded by a sea of orange, with Dutch fans filling Yves-du-Manoir Stadium and making for a festive atmosphere. Also like the men, it did not happen easily.

14 People, Including 11 Children Die Due To ‘Mysterious Disease’ In J&K’s Rajouri

Health officials have been stationed in the region, with a mobile medical unit and ambulance on standby to address any emerging medical needs. The Health Department, led by Jammu Health Director Dr Rakesh Mangotra and Rajouri’s Chief Medical Officer Dr Manohar Rana, is closely monitoring the operations.

A team from Pune’s National Institute of Virology, along with experts from PGI Chandigarh, AIIMS Delhi, and the National Centre for Disease Control (NCDC), have already visited the village to support local investigations.

The 14 deathsjb casino, out of 38 reported cases of illness, have occurred under alarming circumstances, with no clear answers to the mystery surrounding them. The authorities have taken several measures to investigate the situation, including the deployment of Rapid Response Teams, the analysis of samples from both humans and animals and tests on local water sources.