Political tempers have flared in the aftermath of the brutal killing of two Special Police Officers (SPOs) in Jammu and Kashmir’s remote Dachhan area of eastern Kishtwar district, with the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) accusing police authorities of grave negligence that allegedly left the slain personnel vulnerable to a militant attack.
Leader of Opposition (LoP) in the J&K Assembly, Sunil Sharma, launched a scathing attack on police officials, describing as “nalayak” or worthless those officers who reportedly allowed the two SPOs to travel alone through a militancy-prone area to report at an Army camp for counter-insurgency duties. Sharma alleged that poor judgment and a failure to adequately assess the security situation directly contributed to the deaths of the personnel.
Calling for immediate corrective measures, he demanded a substantial strengthening of the security grid across the hilly and forested belts of Kishtwar, particularly in the remote areas of the Chenab Valley region, where militant activity has witnessed a resurgence in recent months.
The BJP’s Kishtwar MLA, Shagun Parihar, who visited the bereaved families along with Sharma, also raised serious concerns over the security environment prevailing in the area. She demanded the appointment of 15 to 20 Special Police Officers from the affected hilly region, asserting that members of the minority Hindu community in certain villages were living in fear and insecurity in the wake of the killings.
Parihar alleged that threats had been openly issued against SPOs through mosque loudspeakers in the area, a claim that was immediately contested by political opponents and members of the local Muslim community. Critics described the allegation as unsubstantiated and warned that such statements could unnecessarily inflame communal sensitivities and disturb the traditionally harmonious social fabric of the region.
Several local residents and political leaders maintained that no such announcements had been made and urged restraint from all sides, arguing that the focus should remain on identifying and punishing the perpetrators rather than making claims that could deepen mistrust among communities.
The BJP MLA further alleged that information regarding the movement of the two SPOs from their place of deployment towards the Army camp may have been leaked to militants, enabling the attackers to target them. While no official confirmation has emerged regarding such a breach, investigators are reportedly examining all possible angles, including whether the militants had prior intelligence about the SPOs’ route and timing.
During interactions with the victims’ families, Parihar said the issue would be raised before the Union Territory administration at the highest level. “We shall meet the Lieutenant Governor, explain the ground situation and seek acceptance of the demands being raised by the people,” she told family members.
Both Parihar and Sharma are understood to have confronted police officials during their visit to the area, accusing them of negligence, lack of foresight and poor operational judgment. The BJP leaders argued that the slain SPOs should not have been sent through a vulnerable route without sufficient protection, alleging that administrative lapses effectively pushed them “into the clutches of death”.
Meanwhile, security agencies have intensified efforts to track down those responsible for the killings. Police on Friday announced a cash reward of ₹30 lakh for information leading to the arrest of three militants believed to be behind the murder of the SPOs. The wanted men have been identified as Mohammad Amin alias Jahangir, also known as Jahangir Saroori, a veteran Hizb-ul-Mujahideen commander active since the 1990s, Riaz Ahmed alias Hazari, and Mudassir Hussain.
Posters carrying their photographs and details have been circulated across Kishtwar and adjoining districts, as well as through social media platforms. Authorities have appealed to the public to share any credible information regarding their whereabouts, assuring complete confidentiality for informants.
The slain SPOs, Bobby Chand (57) and Rashpal Kumar (45), both residents of Kiyar village in Dachhan, were attached to the J&K Police’s counter-insurgency Special Operations Group (SOG).
According to officials, the two personnel went missing on Wednesday while travelling from their existing deployment to an Army post at Dharna-Marwah, where they were either scheduled to relieve fellow personnel or take up rotational duty. Their mobile phones remained reachable for some time before being switched off.
A large-scale search operation involving police, the Army and other security agencies was launched across the difficult mountainous terrain. On Thursday morning, search teams recovered their bullet-riddled bodies from a forest area. Both men had sustained multiple gunshot wounds, and their service weapons were missing, strongly indicating a militant attack.
The killings have triggered one of the most extensive counter-insurgency operations in recent months in the Chenab Valley. Hundreds of personnel from the J&K Police, its elite SOG, the Indian Army and the Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) are engaged in a sustained manhunt across dense forests and rugged mountain slopes surrounding Dachhan and adjoining areas.
Security forces are employing both human and technical intelligence while combing remote hideouts, forest tracks and high-altitude terrain in an effort to locate the militants. Officials have indicated that the operation will continue until those responsible are either arrested or neutralised.
The attack has drawn condemnation from across the political spectrum. Lt. Governor Manoj Sinha described the killings as a cowardly act, expressing grief over the loss of the two SPOs and paying tribute to their courage and service. He extended condolences to the bereaved families and assured them of the administration’s support.
Chief Minister Omar Abdullah also condemned the attack in strong terms, describing it as a heinous and cowardly act of violence and expressing solidarity with the victims’ families.
The twin murders, alongside a separate militant attack on a CRPF post in Kulgam district of the Kashmir Valley earlier in the week, have heightened security concerns across J&K. As political blame games intensify over the circumstances that led to the Kishtwar tragedy, security agencies remain focused on a single objective — tracking down the militants responsible and bringing them to justice.
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