Two special police officers died in Dachhan on Wednesday setting off competing political claims and public outrage in Kishtwar.
The Jammu and Kashmir Congress demanded a thorough investigation into the killings, suggesting Army personnel mistakenly shot the two officers. J&K Congress president Tariq Hamid Karra told reporters that party representatives in Kishtwar reported the men were carrying guns while returning from hunting when security forces mistook them for terrorists in civilian clothes, according to The Times of India.
“When they were returning, Army personnel mistook them for terrorists as they were in civilian clothes and opened fire on them,” Tariq Hamid Karra said, adding that another version attributes the deaths to terrorists. Karra accused the BJP of attempting to communalise the incident by pointing to statements made by local politicians, noting that the local Congress district president is Hindu and denies such announcements occurred.
BJP spokesperson Altaf Thakur condemned Karra’s remarks as an attempt to undermine the morale of security forces without establishing facts. Thakur demanded action against Karra for casting aspersions on military conduct, as reported by The Times of India.
Meanwhile, BJP leaders Sunil Sharma and Shagun Parihar raised serious concerns over operational failures and security deployment in the region. Leader of the Opposition Sunil Sharma criticized the decision to send the two officers over mountainous terrain to assist the Army.
“Visited Kyar Dachan after the martyrdom of our two brave SPOs and I am shocked at this operational failure — sending two young boys with a .303 and INSAS over a hill to assist the Army is sheer incompetence and negligence,” said Sunil Sharma.
Public anger mounted on Friday when the bodies of Babi Chand and Rashpal Kumar arrived in Kiyar village in a dumper truck without coffins. According to NDTV, locals reported that no senior police officers accompanied the remains, leaving grieving families and villagers shocked.
Legislator Shagun Parihar confronted senior police officials who arrived later following intervention by Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha. Telegraph India noted that Parihar criticized the handling of the fallen officers.
“Their bodies were brought in a dumper. Our SPOs have been dishonoured. Our bravehearts have been insulted,” Shagun Parihar said.
Following the public outcry, authorities held a wreath-laying ceremony, and the final rites were performed with full military honors.
Visited Kyar, Kishtwar, the place where our brave SPOs, Late Sh. Babi Chand Ji and Late Sh. Rashpal Kumar Ji, made the supreme sacrifice while performing their duties in the service of the nation. Paid my humble tributes to these brave souls and expressed heartfelt condolences to… pic.twitter.com/NnYXEdhRLl
Visited Kyar Dachan after the martyrdom of our two brave SPOs and I am shocked at this operational failure — sending two young boys with a .303 and INSAS over a hill to assist the Army is sheer incompetence and negligence. This isolated, last village of Kishtwar has been targeted… pic.twitter.com/CtpfzBqAwK
