Mysterious deaths in J-K's Rajouri: Authorities seal insecticide, pesticide shops in district
Rajouri/Jammu (PTI): As part of an ongoing investigation into the deaths of 17 people due to a mysterious illness in Badhaal village of Jammu and Kashmir's Rajouri district, authorities on Wednesday conducted surprise inspections of all insecticide, pesticide, and fertilizer stores in the district and initiated their closure.
Officials said eleven patients who were admitted to the Government Medical College Hospital (GMC) after falling ill due to a mysterious illness in Badhaal village of Rajouri district have fully recovered and been discharged on Tuesday.
In a major late-evening action taken by authorities in the border district, surprise inspections of all insecticide, pesticide, and fertilizer stores have been initiated followed by the closure of all these stores until further orders.
This action was going on as per latest reports.
Joint teams from the department of agriculture, department of food and drugs control organisation, assisted by police and headed by an executive magistrate, conducted simultaneous surprise inspections at all these outlets located across the district.
The number of these outlets is believed to be around two hundred and fifty.
"Sampling of all kinds of insecticides, pesticides, and fertilizers has been done, and samples are being seized at the site followed by the sealing of business establishments until sample reports are received," an official said.
The officials further stated that this exercise has been undertaken by government authorities as part of the ongoing investigation and legal action following 17 mysterious deaths in Badhaal village over the past nine weeks, with the causes of these deaths still unclear.
They said the action is expected to continue into day two, Thursday.
A team of doctors from the All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS), New Delhi, concluded a three-day visit to Rajouri. They examined patients from Badhaal village and collected various samples as part of their investigation into the recent deaths in the area.
During their visit, a five-member team of AIIMS Delhi experts, including specialists in toxicology, conducted interviews and recorded clinical histories from the 11 patients currently undergoing treatment for the mysterious illness responsible for 17 deaths in Rajouri district, Jammu and Kashmir.
Sources said doctors at GMC Rajouri treated the 11 patients with Atropine, an anti-poison drug.
Badhaal village remains under containment, with 79 families still in isolation as a precautionary measure, they added.
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Sujit Nair raises concerns over speculation of DMK-AIADMK understanding to block TVK
Chennai: Journalist and political commentator Sujit Nair has expressed concern over speculation that the Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam and the All India Anna Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam could explore a post-poll understanding to prevent Vijay-led Tamilaga Vettri Kazhagam from forming the government in Tamil Nadu.
In a social media post, Sujit Nair said the election verdict in Tamil Nadu reflected a clear public demand for political change and argued that the mandate should be respected irrespective of political preferences.
Referring to reports and political discussions surrounding a possible understanding between the DMK and AIADMK, he said he hoped such developments remained only speculative conversations and did not turn into reality.
Nair stated that if such an alliance were to take shape, it would raise serious questions about ideological politics in the country. He said TVK had emerged through a democratic electoral process and that the legitimacy to govern in a parliamentary democracy comes from the people’s verdict.
According to him, attempts to prevent an electoral winner from forming the government through unexpected political arrangements may be constitutionally valid, but many people could view them as politically opportunistic.
He further said that such a move could particularly affect the political image of the DMK, which has historically projected itself around ideology, social justice and opposition politics. Nair said that in ideological terms, the DMK appeared closer to TVK than to the AIADMK, and joining hands with its long-time political rival only to remain in power could weaken its broader political narrative.
He added that the same questions would apply to the AIADMK as well, as the party had spent decades positioning itself against the DMK and such an arrangement could create discomfort among its cadre and supporters.
Drawing a comparison with Maharashtra politics in 2019, Nair said he had expressed similar views when the Shiv Sena formed an alliance with the Indian National Congress and the Nationalist Congress Party after the Assembly elections.
He said post-poll alliances between long-standing political rivals often create a public perception that ideology and electoral mandates become secondary when political power equations come into play.
Nair also said such developments increase public cynicism towards politics and reinforce the belief among voters that ideology is often sidelined after elections.
He maintained that the Tamil Nadu verdict was emphatic and said respecting both the spirit and substance of the mandate was important for the credibility of democratic politics.
