Two siblings among three more die of suspected food poisoning in Rajouri

RAJOURI/JAMMU: Three children including a brother-sister duo died of suspected food poisoning in Jammu and Kashmir’s Rajouri district on Thursday, prompting government to set up a four-member team of doctors to investigate the “unusual deaths”, officials said.

With the latest deaths, a total of seven members of two families lost their lives in the past five days in the border district. On Sunday, a man and his three children died under similar circumstances.

Rajouri Deputy Commissioner Abhishek Sharma has ordered a magisterial probe into the deaths.

The officials said three siblings were brought to Kotranka civil hospital from Badhal village of Khawas this morning, where the seven-year-old Nazia Kousar breathed her last, while her elder brothers, Ishtiaq (9) and Ashfaq (11), were referred to Government Medical College (GMC) hospital for specialised treatment.

However, Ishtiaq also died during treatment at the GMC hospital, they said.

The officials said Ruksar (12), who along with mother Shamim Akhter was undergoing treatment at a hospital in Jammu, died this afternoon.

Ruksar’s father Fazal Hussain and three siblings – Rabia Kouser (15), Farmana Kouser (12) and Rafter Ahmad (four) had died on Sunday.

Taking serious note of the “unusual deaths”, director health services (Jammu) Rakesh Magotra set up a four-member doctor’s team for epidemiological investigation.

The team will visit the district on Friday, officials said quoting an order issued by the director health services.

DC Sharma expressed his condolences to the bereaved family and assured swift action.

“Rapid sampling is underway, while several helplines have been activated to provide assistance to the people,” Sharma, who visited the GMC and the affected remote village, said. (PTI)