KISHTWAR: Strong resentment over the killing of two Special Police Officers (SPOs) in Kishtwar’s remote Dechhan area surfaced on Saturday, with BJP MLA Shagun Parihar and Leader of Opposition Sunil Sharma confronting senior police officials over alleged security lapses, operational decisions and the response following the killings.
The confrontation took place during the visit of Inspector General of Police (IGP) Jammu Tejinder Singh to Kiyar village to meet the families of the slain SPOs and review the security situation.
A video of the interaction showed Parihar expressing anguish and confronting the police leadership over the handling of the incident.
She was seen refusing to sit during the meeting and repeatedly questioning officials over the alleged delay in reaching the affected area and the lack of accountability following the killings.
In an emotionally charged exchange with the IGP, Parihar questioned the treatment of the bereaved families, the delay in reaching the affected area and what she described as a lack of respect for the sacrifice of the two personnel.
“Three days I kept watching that daughter, and my heart was breaking. Is this the value of our emotions? Is this the value of our jawans who stand on the mountains to protect us?” she asked.
Expressing anger over the handling of the situation, Parihar said the personnel had sacrificed their lives while performing their duties and deserved dignity, respect and accountability from the system.
“Today, our jawans have been disrespected. We speak with pride about Operation Sindoor and surgical strikes, but here our personnel have been treated in this manner,” she told the IGP.
She also questioned why senior officers had not reached the area earlier and alleged that the families had to approach Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha and knock on doors in Delhi before the administration responded adequately.
“Today, you are concerned about the crease of your uniform and where we sit, but who will look after the children of those who have lost their lives? Nobody thought about that,” she said, refusing to be persuaded to sit during the heated exchange.
The BJP MLA warned that failure to ensure accountability would undermine the confidence of personnel deployed in difficult areas and could allow similar incidents to recur.
In another interaction with Leader of Opposition Sunil Sharma, Parihar raised questions over alleged threats against local residents and demanded action against those involved in issuing threats and spreading announcements about targeting people.
She questioned why individuals who had allegedly threatened to kill locals had not been arrested and sought an investigation into the possible network providing information and assistance to terrorists.
Demanding immediate strengthening of the security arrangement, Parihar proposed the deployment of 15 to 20 SPOs from the village itself.
She also called for an inquiry into the alleged practice of assigning SPOs from the village to duties outside their designated areas without proper orders, seeking identification of the officers responsible for such deployments.
Sharma, meanwhile, launched a strong attack on the police administration, questioning the operational decision to send the two SPOs across difficult mountainous terrain to assist Army personnel at a temporary operating base.
He questioned why the personnel were required to cross the hill separating Kiyar and Deharna villages when the Army had the capability to conduct its own operations.
He also raised questions over the weapons issued to them, including an INSAS and a .303 rifle, and why personnel from nearby police pickets were not utilised instead.
“What kind of operational strategy is this?” Sharma asked, questioning whether the two personnel had been exposed to unnecessary risks due to poor planning.
He demanded that the concerned Senior Superintendent of Police appear before him and answer questions about the circumstances leading to the killings, alleging that the officer responsible for protecting personnel had failed in his duty.
“If an officer is not competent enough to protect his jawans, he should leave his job,” Sharma said, adding that those responsible for the alleged lapses must be held accountable.
The Leader of Opposition also demanded the immediate re-establishment of a permanent police picket in Dechhan and the redeployment of around 40 security personnel who, he said, had earlier been stationed in the area.
He suggested that eligible local youth should be recruited into the security setup, referring to Parihar’s remarks about young people willing to defend their homeland.
Sharma further alleged that former overground workers of terrorists were being appointed as SPOs and demanded a thorough inquiry into the alleged links between an officer and OGW networks. He said strict action should follow if the allegations were established.
He also questioned the progress of counter-terror operations, claiming that four terrorists remained active in the area despite casualties among security personnel and local residents.
Seeking better security infrastructure, Sharma demanded installation of a VHF communication tower to improve coordination among security forces and called for a motorable road to the village.
