3 civilians found dead in Kathua: LG Sinha orders probe, minister calls it ‘act of terror’

Jammu and Kashmir lieutenant governor (LG) Manoj Sinha on Sunday ordered a ‘thorough and transparent’ probe into the deaths of three civilians in Billawar area of Kathua district.

“I am shocked and saddened beyond words at the brutal killing of Varun Singh, Yogesh Singh and Darshan Singh of Kathua. In this hour of grief, I offer my deepest condolences to their families and friends. I have ordered a thorough and transparent investigation and all the necessary support to the families will be provided. I assure the people that the perpetrators will be brought to book at the earliest. Justice will be ensured and accountability will be fixed,” Sinha said in an X post.

The incident has drawn widespread criticism, with Union minister Dr Jitendra Singh terming it an ‘act of terror’.

“The brutal killing of three youths by terrorists in Bani area of district Kathua is extremely sad as well as a matter of great concern. There appears to be a deep conspiracy behind spoiling the atmosphere in this peaceful area,” he said on X.

“We have discussed this matter with the officials concerned. The Union home secretary is reaching Jammu so that the situation can be assessed on the spot. I am confident that it will be ensured that such incidents do not happen again,” he added.

The Jammu and Kashmir Police on Saturday fished out the bodies of three civilians, including a teen, from a rivulet in the upper reaches of Lohai Malhar in Kathua district. The bodies were spotted by a drone in Ishu Nullah.

In a statement, police said a board of doctors has been formed to conduct the post-mortems. Police identified the deceased as Varun Singh, 15, from Dehota village, his maternal uncle Yogesh Singh, 32, and his paternal uncle Darshan Singh, 40, both residents of Marhoon village.

Kathua senior superintendent of police (SSP) Shobhit Saxena said, “Investigation is underway and all angles are being probed.”

One of the victims, Darshan, had contacted his family two days ago, informing them that they had lost their way in the forest.

Cause of deaths will be clear after post-mortem: Police

“The cause of deaths will be known only after a post-mortem is done,” said a police officer.

Security forces had launched a search operation to trace the three civilians after they went missing on Wednesday evening. The trio had left their houses around 8.30 pm on Wednesday to attend a marriage in Surag village of Lohai Malhar.

Officials said the forces suspect terrorists are hiding in areas such as Lohai Malhar, Machedi and Badnota.

The Congress condemned the killings and expressed ‘serious concern’ over the law-and-order situation.

In a statement, J&K Congress president Tariq Hameed Karra and other senior leaders expressed ‘grave concern’ over the two similar incidents in the Billawar area, which they said reflects a ‘worrisome’ security situation.

On February 16, two civilians, identified as Shamsher, 37, and Roshan Lal, 45, were found dead at Kohag village in Billawar tehsil. Police have already formed a special investigation team (SIT) to probe the deaths.

Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) president Mehbooba Mufti also took to X to condemn in the incident.

“The situation in Kathua is deeply alarming. In a short span of time, nearly a dozen people have lost their lives... five of them were allegedly chased by police and cow vigilantes, which led to fatal accidents... police seem more focused on extracting false confessions from victims while the real perpetrators are still at large,” she said.

Communist Party of India (CPI Marxist) general secretary MY Tarigami said, “Such incidents are deeply disturbing and must be thoroughly investigated.” People’s Conference chairperson and MLA Sajjad Lone also condemned the deaths.