To investigate the mysterious deaths reported from Jammu and Kashmir's Badhal village, Union Home Minister Amit Shah directed to form an inter-ministerial team. Shah on Saturday ordered the constitution of a team with experts from various ministries, led by the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) to investigate the causes of unexplained deaths. 16 members of three families have died since December.
Inter-ministerial team
As per a statement by the Home Ministry, the team will consist of experts from the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare, Ministry of Agriculture, Ministry of Chemicals and Fertilizers and Ministry of Water Resources. It will also be assisted by experts from animal husbandry, food safety and forensic science labs.
"Experts from some of the most reputed institutions of the country have been arranged to manage the situation and understand the causative factors of deaths," statement added.
Team to collaborate with local authorities
The team would proceed on January 19 and in collaboration with the local administration would work on providing immediate relief as well as taking precautionary measures to prevent such incidents in future.
Meanwhile, medical experts and organisations such as PGIMER Chandigarh, the National Institute of Virology, and the National Centre for Disease Control (NCDC) are trying to identify the cause of illness.
J-K CM conducts meeting
Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Omar Abdullah also chaired a high-level meeting to address the alarming situation.
A Special Investigation Team (SIT), comprising police and medical experts, has also been constituted by the Jammu and Kashmir administration after several national-level testing centres ruled out any spread of disease among those found dead so far.
Mysterious deaths have been reported from the Badhal village since December 7. As many as 16 people within three families died and at least 28 affected by unknown causes. Authorities have sealed the houses and shifted 21 their close relatives to government accommodation to be kept under strict monitoring.
Authorities stated that there are no evidences of viral, bacterial, or fungal infections so far. Chief Secretary Atal Dulloo ruled out the possibility of a health emergency, stating that only three families in the area were affected. "All samples have tested negative for any viral or bacteriological cause," Dulloo said.