
A day after the visit of the inter-ministerial team constituted by the Union Home Ministry, Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Omar Abdullah on Tuesday visited Badhaal village to meet the families of the 17 persons, 13 of them children, who tragically lost their lives, impacting three families.
Expressing grief, the Chief Minister extended his condolences and assured the bereaved families of full support and assistance from his government. He was accompanied by Cabinet Minister Javed Rana and MLA Budhal, Javed Iqbal Choudhary, during the visit.
The Chief Minister stressed that the government’s priority is to ensure the prevention of such incidents in the future and an immediate end to a spate of unfortunate deaths. He assured the public that a detailed investigation was underway to determine the cause of the tragedy.
“The civil administration and health department are actively addressing the matter, while the police have constituted a Special Investigation Team (SIT) to investigate the incident. Additionally, a central team has been deputed and is working diligently to uncover the reasons behind this unfortunate loss of life,” he stated. During the visit, MLA Budhal Javed Iqbal Choudhary submitted a proposal for compensation to the affected families.

The Chief Minister confirmed that the proposal is under active consideration and pledged timely action.
Chief Minister Omar Abdullah also directed Deputy Commissioner Rajouri, Abhishek Sharma, to extend all necessary support to the families during this difficult time.
He reassured the public that the findings of the investigation would be made transparent and that appropriate measures would be implemented based on the results.
Urging restraint in political interference, he added, “I appeal to everyone to allow the concerned agencies to perform their duties. Identifying the reasons behind these tragic deaths is our utmost priority, and we are committed to taking steps to prevent such occurrences in the future.”
J&K Govt coordinating with central agencies
Omar Abdullah said that the Jammu and Kashmir government, along with central agencies, has intensified efforts to uncover the cause of mysterious deaths in Rajouri district.
Omar Abdullah confirmed that initial tests ruled out the presence of any bacterial or viral infection, dismissing fears of a disease outbreak. “Our first responsibility was to ensure no illness was spreading. Thankfully, all tests so far have confirmed there is no evidence of bacteria or viruses,” he added.

The government has deployed multiple teams to investigate the incident. A Special Investigation Team (SIT) has been constituted by the police to probe the matter. A team from the central government is also on the ground, collecting samples and conducting analyses.
“These three efforts—from the civil administration, the police SIT, and the central government team—will work together to answer the questions surrounding this tragedy,” the Chief Minister assured.
We should pray for Badhaal village situation amid unexplained Illness: MP
Mian Altaf Ahmed, Member of Parliament from the Anantnag-Rajouri constituency, said on Tuesday that ‘we should pray for the Badhaal village situation amid unexplained Illness’.
Altaf emphasized the need for collective prayers and support for the affected families. “Instead of issuing daily statements, we should pray to God for the Badhal situation,” Altaf said.
Mian Altaf Ahmed recently visited the remote village and met the victims’ families, offering condolences and expressing faith in the ongoing investigation to determine the cause of the deaths.