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Rajouri: In the Rajouri district of Jammu and Kashmir, a family meal turned fatal after 8 members of two families fell ill following dinner on Friday night. According to reports, the victims had reportedly consumed a wild vegetable in Moda village, part of the Kotranka sub-division, and began showing symptoms soon afterwards. 

As per information, the local medical team rushed the patients to the community health centre at Kandi before they were referred on to the Government Medical College Rajouri for specialist care. However, despite medical intervention, one man did not survive, while the remaining 7 remain under observation.

The police have since sent teams to the village to check for further cases and to calm growing anxiety among residents, amid warnings that the vegetable may have been mistaken for a poisonous variety.

Elderly Man Dies As Condition Deteriorates

The police have identified the deceased as Mohammad Hussain (60), whose body was sent for a post-mortem. GMC Rajouri Principal Amarjeet Singh Bhatia said that the patient arrived in a critical state. “Eight patients arrived and one of them was very critical. He was 60 years old, Hussain Sahab. He was quite critical, and despite the best efforts of our doctors, he could not survive,” he informed ANI.

The other 7 patients, comprising 6 children and one adult, were also seriously unwell on admission. “However, the other seven patients were also quite ill, but they were given timely medicine and all seven are now stable. We are monitoring them closely,” Dr Bhatia added.

The medical staff from the college also visited Moda village on Saturday to assess the situation on the ground. Dr Bhatia stated that the visit was intended to rule out additional cases and address local concerns. “Now, the issue is that a panic had spread in Moda. In light of that, I went to Moda village today with my team. We visited this family’s house and spoke with the villagers in Moda village. First, we spent about half an hour to an hour investigating to see if there were any cases in other families, in the neighbourhood, or among any nearby relatives,” he said.

Wild Vegetable Suspected To Be Cause

The doctors believed that the illness was caused by a wild vegetable known locally as ‘bund gary’. Paediatrician Dr Liaqat Choudhary explained that the plant has two varieties, one edible and one poisonous, and that the family may have picked the wrong type.

“The patients had consumed a wild vegetable locally called ‘bund gary’……They mentioned that there are two varieties of it: one is edible and the other is poisonous. It seems they couldn’t identify the difference,” the doctor said.

According to Dr Choudhary, the symptoms matched those of Dhatura poisoning, including dilated pupils, rapid heartbeat, irritability and dry skin. He added that while the patients’ vital signs have now stabilised, they would remain under observation as some symptoms persist.

The district officials have not confirmed the exact cause pending further tests, but have urged villagers to avoid consuming wild plants unless they are certain of their safety. Further development regarding the incident are awaited.