Jammu, Mar 29: More than a year after 17 people died under mysterious circumstances in a remote village in Rajouri district, the Jammu and Kashmir government on Saturday cited specific pesticide compounds and elevated cadmium levels as part of fresh, though provisional, findings into the incident.
In a written reply to a starred question, Health Minister Sakeena Itoo said, according to the provisional findings of toxicological analysis conducted by CSIR-Indian Institute of Toxicology Research, Lucknow and PGIMER Chandigarh, the deaths do not appear to be linked to any viral or bacterial outbreak.
“Instead, the presence of certain toxic substances, including pesticide compounds such as Aldicarb Sulfone, Acetamiprid and Butoxycarboxim, along with elevated Cadmium levels in some samples, indicates a possible neuro-toxic exposure as the cause of illness,” she said in her reply on Saturday.
The question was tabled by National Conference legislator Javid Iqbal regarding the final findings into the 17 deaths in his Budhal constituency between December 7, 2024 and January 24, 2025.
Itoo said a Special Investigation Team (SIT) and an Inter-Ministerial Investigation Team constituted by the Ministry of Home Affairs are presently examining the matter in detail to ascertain the exact cause and circumstances.
The minister said several members from closely related families developed symptoms such as abdominal pain, vomiting, fever, drowsiness, breathlessness and altered sensorium.
These incidents occurred in four clusters involving a total of 55 affected people, out of which 17 deaths were reported, Itoo said, adding the affected individuals were promptly shifted to Community Health Centre in Kandi, Government Medical College in Rajouri and SMGS Hospital in Jammu for specialised treatment.
Immediately after the incidents, she said the Health and Medical Education Department, in coordination with the district administration, initiated extensive containment and investigation measures.
Medical camps were established in the affected area, and door-to-door surveillance covering 3,577 residents was undertaken. Rapid response teams were also deployed for screening and contact tracing, the minister said.
She said samples of food, water, drugs and biological specimens were collected and sent for laboratory analysis. Isolation wards were established at GMC Rajouri, GMC Jammu and SMGS Hospital Jammu, while ambulance services and round-the-clock medical teams were deployed, she said.
The minister said the matter was reviewed at the highest level by the Chief Minister Omar Abdullah and expert teams from ICMR, NCDC, PGIMER Chandigarh, AIIMS New Delhi and other national institutions were involved for detailed investigation.
