Jammu: In Indian illegally occupied Jammu and Kashmir, nine new cases of a mysterious illness have surfaced in the Badhaal area of Rajouri district, escalating fears as authorities struggle to identify the cause.

According to a statement by Kashmir Media Service, the nine patients, including seven minors aged between 3 and 16 years, were admitted to Rajouri District Hospital. Among the patients, a minor girl undergoing treatment at SMGS Hospital Jammu and a youth at PGI Chandigarh have shown signs of improvement.

Principal GMC Rajouri, Dr. A.S. Bhatia, confirmed that nine more patients had been shifted to GMC Rajouri. They have been kept in the isolation ward under observation. Indian authorities remain baffled about the origin or nature of the illness, despite questioning over 100 individuals as part of the investigation.

The crisis has sparked outrage among local leaders. In a joint press conference, MLAs from Budhal, Thannamandi, and Rajouri—Javid Iqbal Choudhary, Muzaffar Iqbal Khan, and Iftikhar Ahmed—expressed grave concern over the growing number of casualties. The mysterious illness has already claimed 17 lives, and the leaders blamed administrative failures and the dual power structure in IIOJK for the tragedy.

The MLAs strongly criticized the New Delhi-appointed Lieutenant Governor, holding him directly responsible for the deaths due to an inefficient and delayed response to the crisis. They pointed to severe lapses in healthcare infrastructure, staff shortages, and mismanagement as key reasons for the IIOJK administration’s failure to tackle the outbreak effectively.

“This dual power system has left the people of Rajouri and Poonch districts vulnerable to such crises. The bureaucratic setup under the Lieutenant Governor has failed to respond adequately, and this inefficiency has cost lives,” the MLAs stated.

They called for an urgent overhaul of the administrative system, a thorough review of healthcare infrastructure, and immediate measures to ensure accountability. The legislators warned of mass resignations in the coming days if the situation was not addressed properly.