Rajouri, Jan 23 : A remote village in Jammu and Kashmir’s Rajouri district has been declared a containment zone after 17 people from three families died under suspicious circumstances, authorities said on Wednesday.
In addition to the deaths, another individual from the village has been admitted to a hospital in critical condition, officials added.
The containment measures were imposed under section 163 of the Bharatiya Nagarik Suraksha Sanhita (BNSS), which grants magistrates the power to issue written orders in urgent situations to prevent or remedy dangers
“In light of the situation, the village has been divided into three containment zones – the first covering all families where deaths have occurred,” said Rajeev Kumar Khajuria, the additional district magistrate of Rajouri.
“The houses of these affected families shall be sealed and entry will be totally restricted for all individuals, including their family members, unless otherwise authorized by the designated officers/officials,” Khajuria said in an official order.
Further, the order directed that members of all families identified as close contacts of the affected individuals be shifted to Government Medical College, Rajouri, for continuous health monitoring. “This monitoring is mandatory,” the order stated.
Containment Zone 3 will encompass all households, and staff will be deployed to ensure continuous monitoring of food consumption, enforce compliance with health protocols, and maintain log books, according to the order. Police personnel will also be stationed to ensure compliance with the restrictions.
“All public and private gatherings are hereby prohibited within the jurisdiction of these containment zones, in order to prevent further spread of the infection,” the order emphasized.
The order also mandated the immediate replacement of all food and water supplies within the affected households and the seizure of all edible materials. “It is mandatory for affected families and their close contacts to consume only the food and water provided by the administration. Any other food items available in the households are strictly prohibited for consumption,” the order added.
The decision to declare the containment zones and impose strict measures came after a visit to the village by Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Omar Abdullah on Tuesday.
The deaths of the 17 individuals, all linked to three families, occurred between December 7 and January 19. Authorities are investigating the cause of the deaths, which remain unexplained.
Additionally, a 24-year-old man, Aijaz Ahmad, was hospitalized on Tuesday evening after his health deteriorated.
