Several people who came into contact with the affected families, from taking children to the hospital to burying them, have also been identified, they said.The Union minister said a thorough investigation is underway.”The initial investigation conducted by our toxicology laboratory in Lucknow concluded that it was not due to any infection, virus or bacteria but rather a toxin,” he said.He added that the investigation into the nature of the toxin is going on.”There is a long series of toxins being tested.I believe a solution will be found soon.Additionally, if there was any mischief or malicious activity, that is also being investigated,” he said.The remote Badhaal village was declared a containment zone on Wednesday, with prohibitory orders imposed on all public and private gatherings in the wake of the deaths, the officials said.Seventeen people, including 13 children, from the families of Mohammad Fazal, Mohammad Aslam and Mohammad Rafiq in Badhaal village died due to a mysterious illness over the past one-and-a-half months.Both the central team and police are continuing their separate probes into the deaths, they said.A central team continued its investigation on Friday into the cause of the deaths which occurred in three families.The Special Investigation Team (SIT), which was set up by the police after certain neurotoxins were found in the samples of the deceased, continued its probe into the criminal angle.They have questioned over 50 people in this case, the officials said.Dr Bhatia revealed that the common factor among all 17 deaths is the involvement of the brain and damage to the nervous system.
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