
The Jammu and Kashmir Police have constituted a special investigation team (SIT) to investigate the mysterious death of 14 people, including 11 children, belonging to three families in a remote village in Rajouri district, officials said on Wednesday.
As per the initial reports, the presence of certain neurotoxins was found in the samples of the deceased, which are being further investigated to determine the reasons behind these fatalities.
SIT to be headed by SP (operations) Budhal
The SIT has 11 members and will be headed by the Superintendent of Police (operations) Budhal, Wajahat Hussain. In an order, Senior Superintendent of Police Rajouri Gaurav Sikarwar said that the SIT has been formed keeping in view the sensitivity of the inquest proceeding initiated into the deaths.
The order stated that the Deputy Superintendent of Police of Kandi Vikram Sarmhal, SHO of Kandi Abrar Khan, SHO of Women police station in Rajouri Sushma Thakur, Inspector Rajeev Kumar, Sub-Inspector Pankaj Sharma and Assistant Sub-inspector Pawan Sharma have been included as members of the SIT.
The SIT has been formed amid growing concern over the mysterious deaths in the Badhaal village over the past month. The administration has directed officials to analyse reports from institutions to identify the cause of the deaths.
Members of three families died under mysterious circumstances
According to four daily diary reports (DDRs) registered at the Kandi police station on December 7, 12, 23 and January 12, a total of 14 people -- a man and his four children, a woman and her three children and a man and his four grandchildren –- died under suspicious circumstances.
The SIT also includes experts from the Forensic Medicine and Toxicology Department, Microbiology Department, Paediatrics Department and the Pathology Department.
According to the order, the service of experts from food safety, agriculture, Jal Shakti (Public Health Engineering) Departments and experts of the FSL team, Jammu will also be used by the SIT in charge during the investigation. Moreover, the team has also been directed to share the progress of the investigation with the district police office on a weekly basis.
(With inputs from agencies)
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