KISHTWAR — Security forces recovered the bullet-riddled bodies of two Jammu and Kashmir Special Police Officers from a dense forest in Kishtwar district on Wednesday, hours after the duo vanished while out on patrol.
Their service weapons were missing.
Police officials confirmed the officers disappeared during a routine sweep across the higher reaches of Dachhan, a rugged mountain belt flanking the upper Kishtwar range. When the patrol team failed to report back to base, commanders sounded an alert. A massive ground search combed the forested terrain for hours before tracking the site where both officers lay dead with fatal gunshot wounds.
The disappearance triggered an immediate security response. Authorities rushed troop reinforcements into the upper reaches of Dachhan to seal off escape tracks leading through the ridges. Ground units set up cordons across multiple forest trails, mounting an intensive manhunt to track the attackers who fled with the fallen personnel's firearms.
Local police teams launched forensic procedures at the recovery site and transported the bodies for formal post-mortem examinations.
| Incident Parameter | Official Status |
|---|---|
| Casualties | 2 Special Police Officers (SPOs) |
| Incident Location | Dachhan higher reaches, Kishtwar, Jammu & Kashmir |
| Timeline | Reported missing on Wednesday during patrol |
| Arms Status | Service weapons looted |
| Security Response | Manhunt underway; forest cordons reinforced |
The Operational Context: Kishtwar's upper reaches, marked by fractured terrain and dense forest canopies, present formidable challenges for security patrols. The targeting of local auxiliary officers and the immediate theft of their issued firearms point to deliberate ambush tactics designed to seize weapons in isolated sectors.
Security forces maintained an expanded cordon across the Dachhan ridgelines heading into late Wednesday night, with search parties pressing deeper into the forest to establish contact with the suspects.