Six months after a mysterious illness claimed the lives of 17 civilians in Jammu and Kashmir’s Rajouri district, at least 35 villagers have once again fallen ill under similar circumstances.
This time, the outbreak has hit Kotliparran village in Manjakot tehsil, triggering fears of another public health crisis. The latest incident has revived painful memories of the Badhaal tragedy, where 17 civilians including 13 children and four adults, from three related families died within 50 days between December 2024 and January 2025, after showing unexplained symptoms.
Home Minister Amit Shah had ordered the constitution of a high-level inter-ministerial team to investigate the deaths. The team, which arrived in Rajouri in January, included experts from top medical institutions across the country. Their mandate was to work alongside the local administration, identify the cause of the deaths, and provide immediate relief to the affected families.
Initial investigations and samples suggested the illness was not caused by any communicable bacterial or viral disease. The authorities declared Badhaal village a containment zone, moved residents to a quarantine facility and only allowed them to return after more than a month.
Now, fresh cases have emerged in Kotliparran village, where 35 residents have been hospitalised in recent days. Four of the more serious cases have been referred to the Government Medical College (GMC) in Rajouri, while the rest are stable, health officials confirmed.
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The affected villagers have shown symptoms such as stomach pain, fever, dehydration, and diarrhoea. Doctors suspect a possible outbreak of acute gastroenteritis, most likely caused by contaminated drinking water. A team from GMC Rajouri has collected water samples from three local wells, which have since been sealed by the district administration pending test results.
Health officials have assured residents that all necessary steps are being taken to avoid a repeat of the Badhaal incident. The public has been advised to avoid using local water sources until further notice, and authorities are preparing to launch awareness campaigns on safe water consumption.
