By Pankaj Chaturvedi

The mystery surrounding the suspicious deaths of 17 people in the little-known village of Buddal in Jammu and Kashmir’s Rajouri district is becoming increasingly complex. After extensive investigations, the Indian Institute of Toxicology Research, part of CSIR, has concluded that the cause of death was the toxic chemical chlorphenapyr found in the bodies of the villagers.

Before this, several top laboratories and institutions such as AIIMS were engaged in uncovering the cause of death. Among the villagers, 16 individuals fell ill but were saved from death by doctors. The doctors from PGI Chandigarh, who treated the fully recovered patients, stated that they used atropine as an antidote, which yielded a 100% success rate.

However, it is surprising that no signs of organophosphate toxicity were found in any of the sick or deceased individuals. Moreover, chlorphenapyr, the chemical implicated in the deaths, is not used anywhere in the vicinity.

It’s important to understand that chlorphenapyr is a broad-spectrum pesticide used for controlling termites and crops. It is also being researched as a potential treatment for malaria. Chlorphenapyr is derived from a class of compounds produced microbially, known as halogenated pyrroles. It is a synergistic pesticide, meaning it becomes active in conjunction with another chemical to kill insects.

The active metabolite of chlorphenapyr is........

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