Daijiworld Media Network - Kishtwar
Kishtwar, Nov 12: The bullet-riddled bodies of two missing Special Police Officers (SPOs) were recovered in Jammu and Kashmir's Kishtwar district early Thursday, a day after they went missing from the remote Dachhan area, officials said.
The deceased were identified as Abi Chand (57) and Rashpal Kumar (45). Both were attached to the police's Special Operations Group (SOG) at Kiyar village in the Dachhan area.
The service weapons of the two personnel were missing from the scene, raising suspicions of a possible militant angle, officials said. However, they cautioned against drawing conclusions about militant involvement until further details emerge.
According to officials, the two SPOs were travelling from the Kiyar camp to an Army post at Dharna-Marwah when they failed to reach their destination. Their mobile phones were initially reachable but were switched off later, raising concerns about their whereabouts.
Following their disappearance, the police and the Army's Rashtriya Rifles launched a joint search operation. Security personnel were deployed across the surrounding mountainous and forested areas to trace them and establish the circumstances surrounding their disappearance.
The incident has renewed concerns over the security situation in Kishtwar, which has witnessed several terror-related incidents in recent years. Security forces have been conducting counter-insurgency operations in the district to eliminate the remaining militant presence in its remote and forested areas.
According to available figures, five people, including four terrorists and one Army soldier, were killed in terror-related incidents in 2026. In 2025, four people, including three terrorists and one Army soldier, lost their lives. In 2024, three security personnel and two civilians were killed.
The latest incident comes amid appeals by the district administration and security agencies for public cooperation in tackling terrorism.
On October 4, Kishtwar Deputy Commissioner Pankaj Kumar Sharma urged residents of the remote Marwah, Warwan and Dachhan areas to unite against terrorism and promptly share information about the movement of suspected militants with security forces.
He had pointed out that the regions had considerable tourism potential, but the presence of active militants remained a major obstacle to tourist movement. He stressed that peace and security were essential for promoting tourism and ensuring sustainable development in the region.