Kashmir village where 17 died mysteriously now a containment zone

Authorities on Wednesday (January 22) declared a village in Jammu and Kashmir’s Rajouri district a containment zone and took other unprecedented steps after a mysterious disease left 17 people dead.

The dramatic measures in Badhaal village, including a ban on private and public gatherings, were taken even as a young man was shifted to a hospital in critical condition.

According to additional district magistrate (Rajouri) Rajeev Kumar Khajuria, the village has been divided into three containment zones – the first covering all three families to which the 17 victims belonged.

Three zones

In the first zone, the houses have been sealed.

Also read: Mysterious deaths in Rajouri: Feasts banned, spring sealed in Kashmir village

In the second zone, members of all families identified as close contacts of the affected individuals will be shifted to the Government Medical College in Rajouri for continuous health monitoring.

All other households in the village will be covered under the third zone.

The deaths

Seventeen persons belonging to three families linked to each other have died under suspicious circumstances in the village between December 7 and January 19.

On Tuesday evening, Aijaz Ahmad, 24, was hospitalised after his health deteriorated.

Police have been deployed in the village to enforce compliance, an order from officer Khajuria said.

Ban on gatherings

“All public and private gatherings are hereby prohibited within the jurisdiction of these containment zones in order to prevent further spread of the infection,” the order said.

Also read: J&K CM Abdullah visits remote village hit by mysterious deaths in Rajouri

Officials have been told to oversee all meals provided to the families in the containment zones.

“It is mandatory for affected families and their close contacts to consume only the food and water provided by the administration,” the order said. “Any other food items available in the households are strictly prohibited for consumption.”

Food and water

The administration has ordered the immediate replacement of all food and water supplies and seizure of all edible materials in the infected households.