Rajouri, Jan 19: Muhammad Aslam and his wife Shakia Bi in Badhaal village of Rajouri are distraught as their whole world has come crashing like a pack of cards within a week.
The couple have lost their eight members of the family in a week, including all their six children.
Besides six children, Aslam has also lost his uncle and aunt – all to an unexplained disease that has stalked Badhaal village since December 7, taking a total of seventeen lives.
Now Aslam and his wife Shakia Bi are the only surviving members in their household.
An unimaginable tragedy has rendered them numb with grief. Once a house full of laughter, Aslam’s residence has now turned into a scary spectre, devoid of the warmth and joy that once filled its walls.
Authorities have also shifted the couple to a nearby structure, locking their old house in order to collect necessary samples. The agriculture fields of Muhammad Aslam, where he used to sow crops including maize, now house eight graves, which are a reminder of the unbearable loss that the family suffered within a week.
The graves of Aslam’s six children, uncle, and aunt stand as a testament to the tragedy that has befallen the family.
Six deceased children of Aslam include Yasmeen Kouser (16) who died today and five others, who died earlier during this week, identified as Zahoor Ahmed (14), Nabeena Kouser (8), Maroof Ahmed (10), Safina Kouser (11), and Zabina Kouser (7).
Aslam also lost his uncle Muhammad Yousaf (62) and aunt Jatti Begum (60).
The elderly couple was living with Aslam’s family. Aslam was their adopted son.
Aslam’s family was among the three families in the village that have been severely affected by the mysterious deaths. The authorities are still struggling to determine the cause of these enigmatic fatalities, which have sent shockwaves throughout the region.
