Bodies of two missing SPOs recovered in Kishtwar forest

KISHTWAR — The search for two Special Police Officers (SPOs) who went missing while proceeding towards a temporary Army operating base in the remote Marwah area of Kishtwar ended in tragedy on Thursday, with their bodies reportedly recovered from the Dherna forest area.

The missing personnel have been identified as SPO Rashpal Kumar and SPO Babbi Chand, both deployed at Police Post Kiyar. They had gone missing on Wednesday after setting out to join their rotational duty at the Temporary Operating Base (TOB) of the Army’s 17 Rashtriya Rifles in the Deherna Top area.

According to information available, firing involving approximately 20 to 25 rounds was reported at around 4:30 pm on Wednesday from the Bachnan forest area, falling within the Anderwan Forest Block of Deherna in Marwah.

Around the same time, the two SPOs were proceeding from Kiyar towards the Army’s temporary operating base to join their scheduled duty. As part of the weekly rotation arrangement, two personnel from Police Post Kiyar are deployed at the TOB alongside the Army.

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The two SPOs were initially accompanied up to Kiyar Top by a Special Operations Group (SOG) party from Police Post Kiyar, headed by In-charge SgCT Nisar Ahmed. After reaching Kiyar Top, the party noticed pony porters, following which Rashpal and Babbi Chand proceeded further towards the TOB with them. The SOG party subsequently returned towards Police Post Kiyar.

However, the two personnel failed to reach their designated destination and their whereabouts remained unknown. Meanwhile, the two SPOs, being relieved from the TOB, after completing their rotational duty, safely reached Police Post Kiyar.

Following their disappearance, a joint search operation was launched involving personnel from Police Station Marwah, SOG Marwah and the Army’s 17 Rashtriya Rifles. Search teams were deployed across the surrounding forested and mountainous terrain to trace the missing personnel and establish the circumstances surrounding their disappearance.

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The two SPOs were carrying their service weapons and ammunition. Rashpal was armed 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 of both personnel had been recovered and that they bore bullet injuries. Their service weapons were also reported missing. The circumstances in which the two were killed, however, remain subject to investigation.

The firing reported from the forest area around the time of their disappearance has added to the seriousness of the incident, although no official confirmation establishing a direct connection between the firing and their deaths was available at the time of filing this report.