Kishtwar, Nov 12: The search for two Special Police Officers (SPOs) who went missing in the remote Marwah area of Kishtwar district ended in tragedy on Thursday, with their bodies reportedly recovered from the Dherna forest area.
The deceased have been identified as SPO Rashpal Kumar and SPO Babbi Chand, both posted at Police Post Kiyar. They had gone missing on Wednesday while travelling towards a temporary operating base of the Army's 17 Rashtriya Rifles in the Deherna Top area to join their scheduled rotational duty.
According to available information, firing involving around 20 to 25 rounds was reported at approximately 4:30 pm on Wednesday from the Bachnan forest area in the Anderwan Forest Block of Deherna, Marwah.
The two SPOs were travelling from Kiyar towards the Army operating base as part of a weekly duty rotation under which two personnel from Police Post Kiyar are deployed alongside Army troops.
They were initially accompanied up to Kiyar Top by a Special Operations Group (SOG) team from Police Post Kiyar, led by In-charge SgCT Nisar Ahmed. After reaching the location, the team noticed pony porters, following which the two SPOs continued towards the operating base with them. The SOG personnel then returned to Police Post Kiyar.
However, Rashpal Kumar and Babbi Chand did not reach their destination, and their whereabouts remained unknown. Meanwhile, the two personnel who had completed their duty at the Army base safely returned to Police Post Kiyar.
A joint search operation was subsequently launched by Police Station Marwah, SOG Marwah and the Army's 17 Rashtriya Rifles. Teams searched the surrounding forests and mountainous areas to trace the missing personnel.
Both SPOs were carrying service weapons and ammunition at the time of their disappearance. Rashpal Kumar was equipped with an INSAS rifle and 60 rounds, while Babbi Chand was carrying a .303 rifle with 50 rounds.
National media reports on Thursday said the bodies had been recovered with bullet injuries. Their service weapons were also reportedly missing.
The circumstances surrounding their deaths remain unclear and are being investigated. Although firing was reported from the forest area around the time the two personnel went missing, no official confirmation had established a direct link between the firing and their deaths at the time of filing this report.
