Jammu, Jan 21 (IANS): Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Omar Abdullah on Tuesday visited Budhal village in Rajouri district to meet the families of the 17 individuals who tragically lost their lives, impacting three families.

Expressing profound grief, the Chief Minister extended his condolences and assured the bereaved families of full support and assistance from his government.

He was accompanied by Cabinet Minister Javed Rana and MLA Budhal, Javed Iqbal Choudhary, during the visit.

The Chief Minister stressed that the government’s priority is to ensure the prevention of such incidents in the future and an immediate end to a spate of unfortunate deaths.

He assured the public that a detailed investigation is underway to determine the cause of the tragedy.

“The civil administration and Health Department are actively addressing the matter, while the police have constituted a Special Investigation Team (SIT) to investigate the incident. Additionally, a central team has been deputed and is working diligently to uncover the reasons behind this unfortunate loss of life,” he stated.

During the visit, MLA Budhal Javed Iqbal Choudhary submitted a proposal for compensation to the affected families.

The Chief Minister confirmed that the proposal is under active consideration and pledged timely action.

Chief Minister Omar Abdullah also directed Deputy Commissioner Rajouri, to extend all necessary support to the families during this difficult time.

He reassured the public that the findings of the investigation would be made transparent and that appropriate measures would be implemented based on the results.

Urging restraint in political interference, he added, “I appeal to everyone to allow the concerned agencies to perform their duties. Identifying the reasons behind these tragic deaths is our utmost priority, and we are committed to taking steps to prevent such occurrences in the future.”