A mysterious illness has left a family devastated in Palamu district of Jharkhand, with five members dying within a span of 10 days in Sikka village under Padwa block, while health authorities continue to investigate the cause of the deaths. The latest victim was 20-year-old Nakul Mahto, son of the late Kuldeep Mahto, who died on Sunday night while undergoing treatment at the Rajendra Institute of Medical Sciences (RIMS) in Ranchi. His death brought the family's toll to five.
Earlier, 28-year-old Shweta Devi, the family's daughter-in-law, also died during treatment at RIMS. The lone surviving member of the household, 52-year-old Lakho Devi, wife of the late Kuldeep Mahto, remains admitted to the hospital.
The series of illnesses reportedly began with Kuldeep Mahto, who was admitted to Medinirai Medical College and Hospital (MMCH) on June 16. Other family members, including Babita and Shweta Devi, later developed similar symptoms and were hospitalised, with Shweta eventually being referred to RIMS.
Residents of the village said Kuldeep initially experienced swelling in his legs, followed by a sharp decline in his blood count. Soon, other members of the family developed similar symptoms.
According to local resident Dilip Mehta, the family explored both medical treatment and traditional faith healing in an effort to recover, but their condition continued to deteriorate. "Despite trying every possible remedy, five members of the family died one after another, creating fear among villagers," he said.
Villagers alleged that Kuldeep, Babita, the ailing Lakho Devi, Shweta Devi, Indu Kumari and Nakul Mahto initially relied on faith healing instead of seeking timely medical care.
Another villager, Rajnath Mahto, claimed that Indu Kumari was admitted to hospital only after relatives insisted, but she also succumbed during treatment.
Rajnath further revealed that around six months ago, a family member had consulted a faith healer, who reportedly gave them sacred ash, claiming it would cure illnesses.
Thereafter, whenever someone in the family fell sick, they allegedly consumed the ash mixed with mustard oil kept at home. He added that the family had recently extracted a fresh batch of mustard oil.
Meanwhile, doctors have yet to determine the exact cause of the deaths. Although post-mortem examinations were conducted on two of the deceased on June 20, the MMCH administration has not reached a definitive conclusion.
Palamu Civil Surgeon Dr Anil Srivastava said the exact nature of the illness remains unknown. He noted that patients experienced a sudden fall in oxygen levels before succumbing, while specialists at RIMS are also investigating the possible cause of the unexplained deaths.
He added that viscera samples collected during the post-mortem examinations have been sent to RIMS for forensic analysis. The reports are still awaited, and officials said the cause of the illness can only be established after the laboratory findings are received.
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