The bodies of two Special Police Officers (SPOs), who had gone missing while on duty in Jammu and Kashmir’s Kishtwar district, were recovered on Thursday morning, November 12, 2026. The discovery has prompted security forces to intensify operations in the region to identify and track down those responsible for the killings.
The deceased personnel have been identified as Babi Chand, aged 57, and Rashpal Kumar, aged 45. Both officers were associated with the Special Operations Group (SOG) of the Jammu and Kashmir Police and were posted at Kiyar village in the Dachhan area of Kishtwar.
According to officials, the two SPOs went missing on Wednesday while travelling from their camp towards an Army post at Dharna-Marwah. They were reportedly moving to relieve personnel deployed at the post when they disappeared in the remote mountainous region. Their sudden disappearance raised concerns among security agencies, particularly after their mobile phones, which were initially reachable, subsequently became switched off.
Following reports of the missing personnel, a joint search operation involving the Jammu and Kashmir Police, the Indian Army and the Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) was launched across the area. Security teams searched the difficult forest terrain and surrounding locations to establish their whereabouts.
The search operation led to the recovery of both bodies early Thursday. Officials confirmed that the personnel had sustained fatal bullet injuries. However, their service weapons were missing from the scene, adding to suspicions that the incident could have involved militants operating in the region.
The disappearance of the two SPOs and the subsequent recovery of their bodies have raised fresh security concerns in Kishtwar, particularly in the remote Dachhan belt, where security forces have been conducting counter-insurgency operations. The missing weapons have also become an important aspect of the investigation as agencies work to establish the sequence of events.
Security forces have intensified their efforts to trace the suspected attackers and determine the circumstances surrounding the killings. A search operation is continuing in the region, with personnel examining possible routes and locations that could help establish the movements of those involved.
The incident comes amid heightened security activity in Jammu and Kashmir following a separate attack on a CRPF security checkpoint in the Nowpora Akhran area of Kulgam district on Wednesday. Three CRPF personnel were injured after unidentified assailants opened fire at the checkpoint before fleeing the location.
The two incidents have renewed concerns over the security situation in different parts of the Union Territory. Security agencies are continuing their operations in Kishtwar and Kulgam, while investigations are underway to identify those responsible for the attacks.