The tragic death of two special police officers in the Kishtwar district of Jammu and Kashmir has triggered an intense political confrontation between major political figures. The incident has drawn sharp reactions from rival camps, turning the local security tragedy into a fierce battle of narratives.
The Claims Made by Tariq Hamid Karra
Tariq Hamid Karra, the president of the Jammu and Kashmir Pradesh Congress Committee, advanced a controversial version of the events. Citing information received from a local party leader, he stated that the two officers had ventured into the Dachhan area of Kishtwar on November 11 for hunting purposes. According to this account, while making their way back through the Marwah region in civilian attire, military personnel allegedly mistook them for militants and opened fire. Karra demanded a thorough and impartial inquiry, asserting that the investigation should look beyond the terror angle to uncover every aspect of the incident.
Strong Rebuttal from the BJP
In sharp contrast, Sunil Sharma, the Leader of the Opposition in the Jammu and Kashmir Assembly and a Bharatiya Janata Party legislator, launched a scathing attack on these assertions. He accused the opposition of spreading misleading narratives to divert attention from terrorist acts and cast unwarranted blame on security forces. Sharma firmly rejected the notion that the victims were on a hunting trip, clarifying instead that the slain personnel, Rashpal Kumar and Bobby Chand, were on active duty linked with the Special Operation Group. They were reportedly en route to relieve personnel stationed at an army post in Dharana-Marwah.
Bounty Announced and Security Concerns Raised
Sharma emphasized that labeling active-duty personnel as hunters amounted to a grave insult to their sacrifice and their grieving families. He pointed out that the attackers had stripped the fallen officers of their rifles, magazines, and ammunition. Highlighting official actions, Sharma noted that law enforcement agencies have released posters of three wanted terrorists involved in the episode, accompanied by a cumulative bounty of 30 lakh rupees. He criticized the opposition for contradictory statements made on November 14 and 15, arguing that airing unverified claims harms the morale of security forces and aids hostile propaganda from across the border.
