17 mysterious Rajouri deaths, toxic traces, and no answers from Delhi

The unexplained deaths of 17 persons from three families in Rajouri district of Indian illegally occupied Jammu and Kashmir continue to raise serious concerns, with Indian authorities yet to provide clear answers.

The spate of deaths, occurring between December 7 last year and January 19 in Badhal village, have left residents in fear and suspicion, as official investigations fail to offer concrete conclusions.

The wave of unexplained illness prompted the Indian home ministry to set up a high-level team to probe the matter. A special investigation team of IIOJK police was also constituted to unravel the mystery behind the deaths. However, more than two months later, the mystery remains unresolved. According to investigations, traces of various toxins were found in the samples collected from the affected families. Officials said that traces of chlorfenapyr and sulfone, both of which have neurotoxic properties, were found in the samples. They, however, have cautioned that the presence of these compounds doesn’t conclusively establish the cause of deaths of the Badhal victims, further fueling skepticism over the probe’s transparency.

Despite growing demands for clarity, the Indian government and IIOJK administration have yet to make the toxicology reports public.