Kishtwar: BJP MLA from Kishtwar Shagun Parihar has confronted senior police officers over the alleged disrespectful handling of the mortal remains of two Special Police Officers (SPOs) killed in a suspected terrorist attack, questioning why their bodies were brought to their native village in a dumper without coffins. Although the confrontation occurred on Saturday, videos of it appeared on social media today.
“Our bravehearts have been insulted,” Parihar said while expressing anger over the arrangements made to transport the bodies of the slain personnel, identified as Bobby Chand, 57, and Rashpal Kumar, 45, to their native village of Kiyar in the Dachhan area of Kishtwar.
The MLA questioned the absence of senior police officials during the initial arrangements and alleged that senior officers reached the area only after the matter was brought to the attention of Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha.
The controversy triggered outrage among locals and political representatives, with concerns being raised over the dignity and respect accorded to personnel who lost their lives in the line of duty. The two SPOs were subsequently laid to rest with full honours on Friday, with Parihar and Jammu and Kashmir Assembly Leader of Opposition Sunil Sharma attending their last rites.
The controversy comes against the backdrop of the killing of the two SPOs, whose bullet-riddled bodies were recovered from a forest area in Kishtwar on Thursday, a day after they went missing following reports of gunfire in the Deharna forest belt of Marwah.
Both personnel were associated with the Special Operations Group (SOG) of the local police and were reportedly travelling to perform duty when they went missing. Their bodies were found approximately two kilometres from the spot where they were last seen. Their service weapons were also missing, raising suspicions of a militant attack. Armed forces subsequently launched search operations to track down those responsible.
Earlier, reacting to the killings, Parihar had described the deaths as deeply tragic, saying the two SPOs had played a crucial role in protecting residents of their village.
“Two of our SPOs have been killed; this is deeply tragic. It is thanks to these SPOs that the people in our village remain safe,” she had said, strongly condemning the attack.
She had also expressed confidence in Home Minister Amit Shah and the armed forces, saying those responsible for the killings would be brought to justice.
The Kishtwar killings came amid another attack on armed forces personnel in south Kashmir’s Kulgam district, where three CRPF personnel were injured after unidentified gunmen opened fire at a checkpoint near Mir Bazaar on Wednesday. One of the injured personnel was reported to be in critical condition.
