Authorities probing mysterious illness in Budhal village seal insecticide, pesticide stores in Rajouri district

RAJOURI, FEBRUARY 06 (STC): In a surprise move, authorities probing the cause of mysterious illness in Budhal village leaving 17 people dead, started conducting surprise inspections of all insecticide, pesticide, and fertilizer stores in Rajouri district and ordered their closure.
The inspection of these stores started yesterday evening and is continuing till filing of this report.
The action was taken late-evening by authorities and all insecticide, pesticide, and fertilizer stores have been ordered closure until further orders, reveal some media reports.
According to PTI, 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. (STC)