Quarantined Rajouri villagers hold protest, seek return to their hamlets

Villagers, who have been housed in one of the isolation facilities following the death of 17 people due to an unexplained illness in Badhaal village of Rajouri district, on Thursday held protest demanding they be allowed to return to their hamlet.

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The protesters said while 17 people from their village have lost their lives, authorities are yet to determine the cause of these deaths. Instead, hundreds of villagers have been placed in isolation facilities.

They further expressed concern over their livestock and household belongings left behind, stating their animals were on the verge of death due to a lack of care.

Following the protest, senior administrative officers rushed to the spot and are currently holding discussions with the villagers.

The residents of this remote border village were moved to isolation facilities 12 days ago as a precautionary measure after the unexplained deaths. Despite extensive investigations by police and medical experts, the cause of these deaths remains unknown.

With suspicions of a neurotoxin contaminating the local food chain, authorities decided to relocate affected families and their immediate contacts to quarantine facilities. Three such facilities have been set up at the district headquarters in Rajouri, they added.

As part of a major late-night action in the border district, authorities launched surprise inspections of all insecticide, pesticide, and fertilizer stores, leading to the closure of all such establishments until further notice, officials said.

Eleven patients, who were admitted to the Government Medical College (GMC) Hospital after falling ill due to the mysterious illness, have fully recovered and were discharged on Monday, officials said.

A team of doctors from AIIMS-New Delhi concluded a three-day visit to Rajouri, where they examined patients from Badhaal village and collected various samples as part of their investigation.

During their visit, the AIIMS team, including toxicology specialists, conducted interviews and recorded clinical histories of the 11 patients undergoing treatment for the mysterious illness.

Sources said doctors at GMC Rajouri administered atropine, an anti-poison drug, to the affected patients.

Badhaal village remains under containment, with 79 families still in isolation as a precautionary measure. Eight teams of government officials are taking care of over 700 livestock in the village, ensuring food, water, and medical attention for the animals.

To safeguard the remaining 808 households, comprising 3,700 individuals, the village has been divided into 14 clusters, each monitored by multi-departmental teams, authorities said.