The remote Badhaal village in Rajouri district was declared a containment zone on Wednesday, with prohibitory orders imposed on all public and private gatherings following the death of 17 people from three families, officials said.
An order issued by the district administration stated: “In view of the recent health situation in the Badhaal area and to curb the further spread of infection, orders are hereby issued under Section 163 of BNSS for immediate implementation.”
The government has established three containment zones: Zone 1 includes the families where the deaths occurred, Zone 2 consists of families identified as close contacts of the affected individuals, and Zone 3 encompasses all households in the village.
Separate guidelines have been issued for each containment zone, with a strict prohibition on gatherings. The order states: “All families where deaths have occurred shall be declared as Containment Zone 1. The houses of these affected families shall be sealed, and entry will be entirely restricted for all individuals, including family members, unless authorised by designated officials.”
All individuals from the affected families have been moved to Government Medical College, Rajouri, for close observation.
"All public and private gatherings are hereby prohibited within the jurisdiction of these containment zones, in order to prevent further spread of the infection," the order said.
Additionally, staff has been deployed to monitor food consumption across all households in the village. “Police personnel will be stationed to enforce compliance with the consumption of replaced food items under observation. Designated officers will ensure that a logbook is maintained to record every instance of food distribution and consumption,” the order states.
Meanwhile, J&K Chief Secretary Atal Dulloo convened a meeting with health experts and police to assess the measures taken to identify the causes of the mysterious deaths.
He directed officials to formulate proper Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs) for monitoring the village population. He also instructed the deployment of sufficient manpower from both the Health Department and police to enforce the SOP guidelines.
Dulloo emphasised that only tested edible and non-edible items should be allowed for individuals under quarantine. He stressed that investigations by police and health professionals must continue until the actual causes of the deaths are determined, adhering to established procedures.
Seventeen individuals from three interlinked families in the village have died under suspicious circumstances between December 7 and January 19.
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