Archive · 1 Oct 2026
Rahul Gandhi Visits Balaghat Families After Tribal Children’s Deaths
Rahul Gandhi visited Balaghat in Madhya Pradesh to meet families who lost children.
More than 30 tribal children have reportedly died in recent months.
Many of the children were from the Baiga tribe.
Reports describe the deaths as involving suspected infectious diseases and other health problems.
Earlier information also mentioned malnutrition and malaria.
Gandhi flew to Gondia in Maharashtra and then travelled by road to Jagla village.
He met families in the Baihar area.
A Congress representative said other politicians had not visited the village since the deaths were reported.
Gandhi was also expected to speak to the media after the meetings.
Rahul Gandhi reached Balaghat on Thursday to meet families of more than 30 tribal children who died in recent months.
The children, primarily from the Baiga tribe, reportedly died from different causes, including suspected infectious diseases.
Gandhi travelled by road from Gondia in neighbouring Maharashtra to Jagla village in Baihar tehsil.
A Congress media coordinator said no politician, including Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister Mohan Yadav, had visited the village since the deaths were reported.
Earlier reports said Gandhi was scheduled to meet the families for about 45 minutes and address the media at 3 p.m.
- Who
- Rahul Gandhi, the Lok Sabha Leader of Opposition and Congress leader, met families of deceased tribal children.
- What
- A visit to Jagla village to meet relatives of children who died, followed by a planned media address.
- When
- Thursday, October 1; earlier reports scheduled his arrival in Jagla around 2:15 p.m. and media address at 3 p.m.
- Where
- Jagla village in Baihar tehsil, Balaghat district, Madhya Pradesh; Gandhi travelled through Gondia, Maharashtra.
- Why
- The visit followed reports that more than 30 tribal children had died in recent months amid suspected infectious diseases and other health-related problems.
Congress Account
Reported Circumstances
Political response
Congress Account
Congress media coordinator Abhinav Barolia said no politician, including Chief Minister Mohan Yadav, had visited Jagla since the deaths were reported.
Reported Circumstances
The supplied reports do not include a response from Mohan Yadav or an independent confirmation of that claim.
Description of deaths
Congress Account
Earlier reporting linked the deaths to malnutrition, malaria and other health-related complications.
Reported Circumstances
A later report described more than 30 deaths as resulting from different causes, including suspected infectious diseases, so the precise causes remain described differently across reports.
- Visitor
- Rahul Gandhi
- Location
- Jagla village, Baihar tehsil, Balaghat district
- Reported deaths
- More than 30 tribal children
- Community identified
- Children were primarily from the Baiga tribe
- Reported causes
- Suspected infectious diseases, malnutrition, malaria and other health complications
- Travel route
- By plane to Gondia, Maharashtra, followed by road travel to Balaghat
- Planned media address
- 3 p.m., according to the earlier schedule
