Kathua: After the bodies of three missing persons, including a child, were recovered in Kathua’s Billawar area, Jammu and Kashmir Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha on Sunday ordered a thorough and transparent investigation into the incident.
Government of India Minister in the Prime Minister’s Office, Dr Jitendra Singh, said the three civilians whose bodies were found in a river in the Malhar area Saturday evening, were killed by militants.
“The brutal killing of three youths by terrorists in Bani area of district Kathua is extremely sad as well as a matter of great concern. There seems to be a deep conspiracy to spoil the peaceful atmosphere in this area,” Dr Singh posted on social media platform X.
The three civilians—35-year-old Jogesh Singh from Marhoon village, 40-year-old Darshan Singh from Dehota village, and 14-year-old Baroon Singh from Dehota—had gone missing on the evening of March 6. They had left their homes in Lohai Malhar around 8:30pm to attend a wedding but never returned. Following an extensive 60-hour search operation, armed forces located their bodies in a water channel in the upper hills using drones.
Expressing grief over the deaths, LG Sinha assured that those responsible would be brought to justice. “I am shocked and saddened beyond words at the brutal killing of Varun Singh, Yogesh Singh, and Darshan Singh of Kathua. In this hour of grief, I offer my deepest condolences to their families and friends. I have ordered a thorough and transparent investigation, and all necessary support will be provided to the families,” Sinha said in an X post.
Meanwhile, the police have ruled out a militancy angle so far but have launched a detailed inquiry. A special investigation team (SIT) has been formed to probe the case, and officials are examining all possible angles to determine the cause of death. A board of doctors has also been constituted to conduct post-mortem examinations.
The Congress, PDP, and CPI(M) have condemned the killings, expressing serious concerns over the security situation in the region.
J&K Congress president Tariq Hameed Karra called the incident “worrisome,” while PDP chief Mehbooba Mufti criticised the law enforcement response, alleging that police efforts are focused on “extracting false confessions” rather than apprehending the real culprits.
