Rajouri village declared containment zone

Rajouri/Jammu: Authorities in Jammu and Kashmir’s Rajouri district imposed stringent containment measures in Badhaal village following 17 deaths from three interconnected families between December 7 and January 19. Additional District Magistrate Rajeev Kumar Khajuria implemented the restrictions under Section 163 of the Bharatiya Nagarik Suraksha Sanhita.

The village has been sectioned into three containment zones. Zone one encompasses the affected families’ residences, which have been sealed with restricted entry. Zone two covers close contacts of the deceased, who must undergo mandatory health monitoring at Government Medical College, Rajouri. Zone three includes all remaining households under continuous surveillance. The administration has banned all public and private gatherings within these zones to prevent potential spread of infection. Officials are now monitoring food consumption, with affected families and their contacts required to consume only administration-provided food and water. All existing food supplies in infected households have been ordered seized and replaced.

A 24-year-old resident, Aijaz Ahmad, was hospitalised in critical condition on Tuesday evening, adding urgency to the situation. Chief Minister Omar Abdullah visited the village on Tuesday to assess the circumstances surrounding the deaths.

The containment orders, enforced by deployed police personnel, require maintaining detailed logbooks and strict compliance with movement restrictions. Designated officers will oversee the distribution and monitoring of the meals provided to families within the containment zones.

Section 163 of BNSS, under which these measures were implemented, grants magistrates authority to issue immediate written orders in urgent situations to prevent or address potential dangers to public safety.