Lab reports point to deadly toxin behind Rajouri deaths
The Tribune Exclusive
Over three months after a mysterious illness in Rajouri’s Budhaal village claimed its first victim, Fazal Hussain, and went on to take 16 more lives, top central laboratories are learnt to have identified chlorfenapyr, a potent insecticide, as the likely cause of death.
Symptoms match those of victims
Chlorfenapyr, a broad-spectrum insecticide, is used to control pests on crops
It is highly toxic to humans, causing liver and nervous system damage — symptoms consistent with those exhibited by Rajouri victims
Studies indicate a 75% mortality rate from chlorfenapyr exposure
Although official toxicology reports, currently with the Jammu and Kashmir administration, are yet to be made public, The Tribune has learnt that the CSIR’s Indian Institute of Toxicology Research (IITR) has zeroed in on chlorfenapyr as the cause of death in 17 cases involving three related families of Budhaal village, a largely tribal settlement.
Following IITR’s confirmation, five other top laboratories corroborated the presence of chlorfenapyr in the food and biological samples taken from the deceased.
Sources privy to the case said the findings pointed to a foul play in the deaths since chlorfenapyr is not locally available and unlikely to have been procured online due to the village’s remoteness.
The toxin is suspected to have been brought from outside Jammu and Kashmir, signalled official sources, adding that a police probe would establish the truth. A special investigation team (SIT) is probing the deaths.
Chlorfenapyr, a broad-spectrum insecticide, is used to control pests on crops. It is highly toxic to humans, causing liver and nervous system damage — symptoms consistent with those exhibited by the victims. Medical literature indicates a 75 per cent mortality rate from chlorfenapyr exposure.
The first death occurred on December 7, shortly after the wedding of Fazal Hussain’s daughter. In his family, five of seven members died. In the second family, four of nine died and in the third family, eight of 10 died. The police are investigating the families’ interconnections and potential motives.
Initial investigations by ICMR experts ruled out infectious agents like viruses, bacteria or fungi and concluded that the cause of death was a likely neurotoxin.
Over 100 toxins were tested in the second phase of the probe. A multi-disciplinary team, formed by Home Minister Amit Shah, is working to unravel the mystery, with the official cause of death yet to be announced. The deaths occurred between December 7 and January 19.
