J&K’s Kishtwar: Bodies Of Two Missing SPOs Found With Bullet Wounds, Weapons Unaccounted For

Kishtwar Attack: Two Missing SPOs Found Dead With Bullet Injuries, Service Rifles Missing

Security forces in Jammu and Kashmir’s Kishtwar district recovered the bodies of two missing Special Police Officers (SPOs) early Thursday, a day after they disappeared while travelling towards an Army post. Both personnel had sustained bullet injuries, while their service weapons were found missing, raising suspicions of a possible militant attack.

The recovery followed an extensive search operation in the remote Dachhan region after gunshots were reported in the area on Wednesday afternoon. Officials said the possibility of militant involvement was being investigated.

The deceased were identified as Babi Chand, 57, and Rashpal Kumar, 45, residents of Kiyar village. Both were attached to the Special Operations Group (SOG) of Kishtwar Police and deployed in the Kiyar sector.

According to officials, the two SPOs had been assigned rotational duty at the 17 Rashtriya Rifles (RR) Temporary Operating Base (TOB) in the Marwah sector. They left Kiyar on Wednesday to relieve personnel stationed at the Army post but did not arrive at their destination.

Sources said gunfire was heard around 3:30 pm near the Deharna forest area, along the route taken by the two officers. Porters travelling through the area reportedly heard the shots and rushed back to alert security personnel.

Initially, the firing was believed to have been linked to possible friendly fire or a communication mix-up, as security forces were deployed nearby. Suspicion grew when the two SPOs remained unreachable and failed to report for duty.

Investigators suspect that militants could have ambushed the personnel in the isolated forest belt. However, officials said the circumstances surrounding their deaths were still being examined.

Following their disappearance, the Army, Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) and local police launched a coordinated cordon-and-search operation. Teams searched the dense forests and difficult mountainous stretches of Dachhan before finding the bullet-riddled bodies early Thursday.

The absence of the officers’ service weapons has added another serious dimension to the investigation.

Security Concerns Persist In Kishtwar’s Remote Areas

The killings come amid ongoing counter-insurgency operations in Kishtwar, where security forces are attempting to track militant groups operating in the district’s remote mountainous terrain.

Dense forests, difficult access routes and scattered settlements continue to make surveillance and search operations challenging for security agencies.

According to available figures, five people were killed in terror-related incidents in Kishtwar in 2026, including four terrorists and an Army soldier. In 2025, the district recorded four such deaths — three terrorists and one Army soldier. The 2024 toll included three security personnel and two civilians.

Earlier, on October 4, Kishtwar Deputy Commissioner Pankaj Kumar Sharma had appealed to residents of Marwah, Warwan and Dachhan to assist security agencies by reporting suspicious activities.

He had pointed out that the three areas had considerable tourism potential but that the presence of active militants continued to restrict tourist movement.

Sharma stressed that improved security was essential for tourism and development in the region.

The recovery of the two SPOs has renewed concerns about militant activity in Kishtwar’s remote belts, where security forces continue operations to prevent further attacks.