The bodies of two Special Police Officers (SPOs), who went missing along with their service weapons while on patrol in Jammu and Kashmir's Kishtwar district on Wednesday, were recovered on Thursday, people familiar with the matter said.
The deceased were identified as Rashpal Kumar, 40, and Babbi Chand, 54, both residents of Dachhan. Official confirmation regarding their deaths and the circumstances surrounding the incident was awaited.
According to reports, gunshots were heard by locals in the forested stretch between Kiyar and Derana on Wednesday afternoon, shortly before the two personnel went missing. The circumstances in which they disappeared remain unclear.
The two SPOs were reportedly part of a patrol party and were travelling towards the makeshift base of the Army's 17 Rashtriya Rifles (RR) in the Basnan area of Inderwal when they lost contact.
A police officer, speaking on condition of anonymity, said the area was remote and had poor mobile connectivity, making it difficult to establish contact with personnel operating there.
Bodies found with bullet injuries
The discovery of the two bodies came after police, the Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) and the Army launched a massive joint search operation following their disappearance.
According to a report by The Times of India, citing officials, both personnel were found with multiple bullet wounds. Their service weapons were also reported missing, adding to the concerns surrounding the incident.
Security teams had been deployed across the surrounding mountainous and forested areas to trace the missing personnel and establish the circumstances behind their disappearance.
The two SPOs were attached to the Special Operations Group (SOG) of the local police and deployed with the 17 RR for patrolling duties in the region.
Kishtwar's history of militancy
The incident has drawn attention to the security situation in Kishtwar, particularly its remote mountainous stretches. The upper reaches of Dachhan and Marwah had served as safe havens for Hizbul Mujahideen militants during the peak of militancy in the Doda region.
The district has witnessed several terror-related incidents in recent years, prompting successive counter-insurgency operations by security forces. These operations have resulted in the killing of several active terrorists, significantly weakening their presence.
However, the difficult terrain and extensive forest cover continue to pose operational challenges for security agencies.