Rajouri mysterious deaths: Demand for CBI probe echoes in Assembly

Jammu, Mar 19: The demand for a Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) probe into the 17 mysterious deaths in Badhal village of Rajouri echoed in the Legislative Assembly on Wednesday, with MLAs alleging a larger conspiracy behind these fatalities and even linking them with the recent deaths in Kulgam and Kathua. The Jammu & Kashmir Government informed the House that nearly a half-a-dozen toxins were found from the samples collected from the area and viscera of the deceased.
As Question Hour began, NC’s Javed Iqbal Choudhary raised the demand for a CBI probe into the deaths after Minister for Health and Medical Education Sakina Ittoo informed the House that half-a-dozen toxins were detected from samples collected in the area as well as from viscera of the deceased.
“Different toxins have been found in the samples. It seems they were poisoned with a substantial amount of toxins, “he said.
He said these deaths shouldn’t be viewed in isolation from the incidents in Kulgam and Kathua.
“It appears to be an attempt to destabilize peace,” he added, urging for a CBI investigation to uncover the cause of these deaths.
MLA Surankote Choudhary Muhammad Akram supported the demand for a CBI probe.
“Nothing is known about the cause of deaths. Nobody is listening to us. There should be a CBI probe,” he said.
CPI(M) MLA Muhammad Yosouf Tarigami demanded that the invisible hands behind these deaths must be unmasked.
“It is ironic that the cause of these deaths remains unknown. What happened there today could happen anywhere tomorrow,” he said.
Responding to the demands, Minister in-charge of Health & Medical Education, Sakina Ittoo informed the House that an investigation by the Home Department is ongoing.
“The Home department is not under control so that we can order any further investigation into these deaths,” she said.
However, she added that further steps will be taken once the investigation is completed.
In a written response, the minister revealed that clinical reports, lab investigations, and environmental samples indicated that the incidents were not due to a communicable disease of bacterial or viral origin.
The minister disclosed that PGIMER Chandigarh report reveals traces of aluminum and cadmium were detected.
The CSIR-IITR, Lucknow report, according to the minister’s reply, detected Aldicarb sulfate, Acetamiprid, Diethyldithiocarbamate and Chlorfenapyr.
The Minister said DRDE-DRDO Gwalior found Chlorfenapyr and Abrin from the samples of sattu and maize bread.
She said that NFL, FSSAI Ghaziabad detected Chlorfenapyr and Chlorpyrifos from the food samples.
The Minister also said that the CFSL Chandigarh report detected Chlorfenapyr in the viscera samples of all 17 deceased.
It is worthwhile to mention that the Union Home Ministry had deputed an inter-ministerial team to the village to ascertain the cause of these deaths. (KNO)