NC leader criticises own govt’s response to mysterious deaths

As the opposition continues to criticise the ruling National Conference government for its handling of the mysterious deaths in Rajouri, a senior National Conference leader and District Development Council (DDC) Chairperson for Rajouri, Choudhary Naseem Liaqat, expressed dissatisfaction with the government’s approach on Saturday, stating that more efforts should have been made to address the issue.

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The death toll from the mysterious illness rose to 16 on Friday after a 60-year-old woman succumbed to the illness at the Government Medical College in Rajouri. In response, Chief Minister Omar Abdullah chaired a high-level meeting on Friday to discuss the alarming situation in Badhaal village, Rajouri district, and instructed the health and police departments to expedite their investigations.

Choudhary Naseem Liaqat voiced concern over the situation. He said, “The medical teams and everyone involved seem confused because of the circumstances, and people are scared.” He emphasised that the cause of the deaths remains unclear, with no definitive answers on why 16 individuals had died.

Liaqat further criticised the government’s handling of the crisis. “It has been 40 days, and the government has no clue what is happening on the ground. The government should have been more proactive in addressing this matter,” he said. He also noted that the people in the region are increasingly questioning the Health Minister Sakeena Masood’s response. “She should have visited the spot more frequently and held meetings with the administration, media and the public in Rajouri,” he added.

The senior National Conference leader also called for the swift release of the viscera reports, which are still awaited. “The availability of reports would have helped pinpoint responsibility,” he said. Despite the presence of police and medical teams in the area, Liaqat questioned why the deaths continue to occur. “I think it needs more effort to contain the situation,” he added.

In response to the situation, Dy CM Surinder Chowdhary on Saturday visited the Badhaal to review the situation and meet with the families of the victims.