Bullet-Riddled Bodies Of Two Missing SPOs Recovered In J&K’s Kishtwar, Weapons Missing

The bullet-riddled bodies of two Special Police Officers (SPOs), who went missing while on duty in Jammu and Kashmir's Kishtwar district, were recovered from a forested area in Dachhan on Thursday, November 12, officials said. The service weapons of the two personnel were missing, raising suspicions of a possible militant angle, although officials cautioned that the circumstances surrounding their deaths were still being investigated.

The deceased were identified as Babi Chand, 57, and Rashpal Kumar, 45, both attached to the Special Operations Group (SOG) of the Jammu and Kashmir Police and posted at Kiyar village in Dachhan.

Two SPOs Went Missing While Travelling To Army Post

The two personnel had gone missing on Wednesday while travelling from their camp at Kiyar towards an Army post at Dharna-Marwah, according to officials. They were reportedly assigned to report for duty at the post but failed to reach their destination, triggering concern among security agencies. Their mobile phones were initially reachable but were later switched off, prompting the police and security forces to launch a search operation in the area.

The disappearance was reported from the higher reaches of Dachhan, a remote area marked by dense forests and difficult mountainous terrain. Police, Army and Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) personnel were deployed to trace the missing officers. Search teams combed forest stretches and routes around Kiyar and Dharna-Marwah, with drones and sniffer dogs also pressed into service to cover areas that were difficult to access.

Missing Weapons Raise Questions Over Possible Militant Involvement

The recovery of the bodies, along with the absence of the officers' service weapons, has raised suspicions of a possible militant involvement in the killings, officials said. However, the precise circumstances of the incident and the motive behind the deaths have not been established. Officials had earlier cautioned against drawing conclusions about militant involvement before the missing personnel were traced and the facts were established.

The incident comes amid ongoing counter-insurgency operations in Kishtwar, where security forces have been conducting searches in remote forested areas. The district's rugged terrain and extensive forest cover pose challenges for surveillance and operations. Further details about the recovery site, the sequence of events leading to the deaths and the investigation are awaited.