Ground report: Dirty water or needles? Fear in Haryana village after string of hepatitis deaths

A sense of dread hangs over Chhainsa village in Haryana, where families say illness has entered almost every home. While the administration hunts for Hepatitis cases, villagers ask why so many fell sick in the first place.

A board at the entrance politely welcomes visitors to Chhainsa village. A few steps inside, the greeting gives way to whispers of illness, loss and suspicion. Over the past two weeks, seven people have died. The numbers are as high as 20 if villagers' claims hold true. The back-to-back deaths have shaken this settlement in Haryana’s Palwal district, and the fear of Hepatitis has cast a long shadow over daily life.

A teenager standing near the entrance sums up the mood without hesitation. "Bahut log mar gaye yahan yeh mareezon ka gaon hai (many people have died here, this is now a village of patients)," he says.

Further down the road, outside a small medical store, a man looks up from his newspaper. "Har ghar mein ek aadmi beemar pada hua hai (Every household has someone unwell)," he claims.

At the government health camp, anxiety is visible. A truck marked with the national TB elimination message is parked nearby, while residents wait in a long queue to give blood samples. Some clutch prescriptions, others medical files, many just hope for reassurance.

An elderly woman watching the activity mutters, "Mahamaari phail go ho (its pandemic)." When asked what worries her the most, she says, "Beta ab ke kare ghane baalkan beemar padan laag rahe hain (What to do Children are falling sick in large numbers)."

Inside the camp, teams of doctors distribute medicines for routine complaints. Next to them, another group draws blood samples. Health officials say the idea is simple: find those infected, start treatment and prevent further spread.