Two Special Police Officers Killed While Escorting Army to Kishtwar Temporary Base

Two Special Police Officers were killed in a shootout near Dharna in Kishtwar district while assisting the army at a temporary operation base. The officers, Bobby Chand and Rachpal Kumar, were posted at an SOG post in Kiyar village and were cremated on Friday in their native Kiyar village, Dachhan area. Officials said the pair had been sent to a Temporary Operation Base (TOB) in the adjoining Marwah tehsil, which is manned by the Rashtriya Rifles. The TOB, set up on a mountain top last year, helps security forces dominate the area year‑round and block militant movement across districts. Reaching it requires a 7‑8 hour trek through dense forest and steep terrain, first ascending a mountain in Kiyar, descending to Dharna village and then climbing again. The officers were heading toward the ridge near Dharna when they came under fire. They returned fire and about 40 rounds were exchanged before they were hit. Their bodies were recovered the next morning; their INSAS and .303 rifles were missing, raising suspicion of militant involvement. The incident has sparked questions about why personnel from Kiyar were sent to a base that already has its own SOG unit. BJP MLA and Leader of Opposition Sunil Sharma intervened, securing Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha’s agreement to provide financial help under SRO 43, reinstate the Kiyar police post, set up an SOG camp near the Kiyar forests and order an inquiry. The Lieutenant Governor expressed deep grief on X. Old police posters offering a Rs 30 lakh reward for information on three militants resurfaced after the killings.

Context

Temporary Operation Bases are short‑term mountain outposts used by the army and police to maintain a constant security presence in hard‑to‑reach border areas. They allow forces to monitor movement and conduct searches with local police guides, reducing the chance of militants slipping across districts.