Mysterious Deaths in Budhal: 17 members of three interrelated families in Budhal, Jammu and Kashmir, have died in 45 days due to an unidentified illness.
Symptoms and Deaths: Victims experienced fever, vomiting, abdominal pain, and episodic loss of consciousness before succumbing to the illness.
Neurotoxin Suspected: Preliminary findings suggest neurotoxins as the likely cause, with bacterial and viral infections ruled out.
Water Contamination: Water samples from a local spring tested positive for pesticides/insecticides, prompting authorities to seal it.
Families Isolated: Remaining family members have been moved to isolated shelters, and their homes have been sanitized.
Massive Testing Effort: Over 12,500 samples, including blood, food, and environmental specimens, have been tested, but the cause remains unknown.
SIT Investigation: A Special Investigation Team (SIT) has been formed, including forensic experts and health officials, to probe the deaths.
Community Fear: Villagers are terrified, avoiding community gatherings and meals, and restricting themselves to home-cooked food.
Inter-Ministerial Team: Union Home Minister Amit Shah has sent a high-level team to investigate the cause of the deaths.
Targeted Poisoning Suspected: Investigators are exploring the possibility of intentional poisoning due to the recurring pattern of deaths after community meals.