SRINAGAR: Authorities in Rajouri district have declared Badhal village a containment zone following the deaths of 17 individuals from three families under mysterious circumstances over the past two months. The District Magistrate issued an order imposing Section 163 of the BNSS Act, which replaced Section 144 of the CrPC, as part of a containment strategy to address the crisis. The move includes stringent measures to monitor the affected population and prevent further casualties.
In the order, all houses belonging to families who have experienced deaths were sealed, with entry strictly restricted to authorised personnel. The village has been divided into three zones to facilitate containment and surveillance. Families identified as close contacts of the deceased have been relocated to Government Medical College Rajouri for continuous health monitoring, which has been made mandatory. Meanwhile, all other households in the village have been placed under restrictions and are being closely monitored by health officials.
Public and private gatherings have been prohibited within the jurisdiction of the containment zones. Designated officers have been appointed to oversee the distribution and consumption of meals provided to quarantined families. Officials are required to maintain a detailed logbook, recording every instance of food distribution three times a day, with each entry signed by a monitoring officer to ensure accountability. Police personnel have been deployed to enforce compliance with the guidelines, including restrictions on food consumption and other preventive measures.
The order came a day after Chief Secretary Atal Dulloo held a high-level meeting with divisional and district administrations, health experts, and police officials to assess the measures taken to address the crisis. The Chief Secretary emphasised the need for stringent containment efforts and directed the authorities to implement a comprehensive Standard Operating Procedure for monitoring the village population. He stressed that tested food and water must be provided to the quarantined families and urged ongoing investigations by police and health professionals until the root cause of the deaths is identified.
The deaths in Badhal began on December 7 when five people, including four children, succumbed after reportedly consuming a community meal. On December 12, another family lost four members to an unknown illness. In January, a third family suffered devastating losses when six children fell ill and later passed away, followed by the deaths of their maternal uncle and aunt.
During the recent meeting, Dulloo urged the authorities to study reports from national diagnostic institutions and to take every possible precaution to safeguard the lives of the remaining villagers. He also reviewed the progress of the Special Investigation Team constituted by the Police Department and the efforts of a ministerial team sent by the Ministry of Home Affairs.
Health and Medical Education Secretary Dr Syed Abid Rashid Shah informed the meeting that the affected families have been isolated, with health teams stationed in the village to monitor any emerging symptoms. Local health centres have been put on high alert, and all measures are being taken to ensure no exchange of food or eatables occurs within the containment zones.
The situation in Badhal remains critical as authorities await toxicology reports to determine the cause of the deaths, while stringent measures are being enforced to prevent further loss of life.
