In a tragic incident in a remote village of Kotranka Sub-Division, Rajouri district, a 40-year-old man and his three young children lost their lives due to suspected food poisoning. Fazal Hussain, a resident of Badhal Gorla village, along with his wife Shamim Akhter (38) and their four children were admitted to Rajouri Government Medical College Hospital after experiencing severe dyspepsia late on Saturday.
Fazal succumbed to his condition during the early hours of Sunday, while his wife and children were transferred to GMC Jammu for advanced medical care, as informed by Dr. A S Bhatia, the Principal of GMC Rajouri. Despite medical efforts, three of the children—Rabia Kousar (15), Farmana Kouser (12), and Rafter Ahmad (4)—passed away at the Jammu facility.
Shamim and their 12-year-old daughter Ruksar remain hospitalized and under observation. Deputy Commissioner Rajouri, Abhishek Sharma, mentioned that the Police have begun inquest proceedings to determine the exact cause of death, with postmortem examinations carried out to assist in the investigation. The DC also announced an immediate financial aid of Rs 1 lakh for the affected family, sourced from Red Cross Funds, to be disbursed through Tehsildar Koteranka, Sahil Ali Shah.
An official spokesperson revealed that a health team was promptly dispatched to the village to collect samples of the food consumed by the victims and local water supply for forensic testing. The administration is actively monitoring the situation to maintain public safety and mitigate further risks. Additionally, Additional Deputy Commissioner Kotranka, Dil Mir, is closely coordinating with the grieving family to ensure they receive necessary support, while plans are underway to promote awareness regarding food and water safety in the area to avert similar incidents in the future.
