Rajouri, Jan 21. The deaths of 17 individuals, including 14 children, from three families in Baddal village, Rajouri, were initially suspected to be caused by a mystery disease. However, an investigation has revealed traces of pesticides in a nearby water reservoir, known as a “baoli,” from which the victims are believed to have consumed water.
A central team assisting local authorities has ruled out a viral or bacterial outbreak as the cause of the fatalities. The Ministry of Home Affairs-led team, comprising health and agriculture experts, collected water samples from the area, which confirmed pesticide contamination.
An official told the news agency Kashmir News Trust that despite these findings, the investigation has not yet conclusively linked the contaminated water to the deaths or determined the source of the contamination.
“The district administration has sealed the water reservoir to prevent further use, amid concerns that residents may still access the water,” the official said adding that prima facie it seems that contaminated water from the reservoir is the source of these deaths but at this point of time, it will be premature to jump to the conclusions. [KNT]
