Three civilians who went missing from the Malhar area of Jammu’s Kathua district were found dead in a river on Saturday evening, prompting Union Minister Dr. Jitendra Singh to claim a “deep conspiracy” aimed at disturbing peace in the region.
The deceased, identified as Yogesh (32), Darshan (40), and Varun (14), were reportedly cousins. They were last seen on Thursday evening as part of a wedding procession traveling from Billawar’s Dehota village to Surag village in Malhar. The trio is believed to have lost their way in the darkness while crossing the Inchhu forests around 8:30 p.m. Concerned relatives alerted the police upon reaching Surag, triggering a search operation.
On Saturday, security forces discovered their bodies in a river flowing through the Inchhu forests. While the exact cause of death remains undetermined, preliminary reports suggest the possibility of terrorist involvement.
Dr. Jitendra Singh, Minister of State in the Prime Minister’s Office (PMO), condemned the killings on social media platform X, stating, “The brutal killing of three youths by terrorists in Bani area of Kathua is extremely sad as well as a matter of great concern. There seems to be a deep conspiracy to spoil the peaceful atmosphere in this area.”
In response to the incident, Union Home Secretary Govind Mohan is set to visit Jammu to assess the security situation. High-ranking officials from the Intelligence Bureau (IB), Border Security Force (BSF), Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF), Jammu and Kashmir Police, and UT administration will participate in a security review meeting. The primary focus will be on strengthening security in the Jammu division to counter terrorist threats.
Meanwhile, anger over the killings sparked protests in Billawar town, where a complete bandh was observed. Security forces have been deployed in strength to prevent any untoward incidents.
BJP MLA Dr. Rameshwar Singh, who raised the issue of the missing civilians in the Legislative Assembly, was manhandled by a group of protestors when he visited the families of the deceased at Billawar’s sub-district hospital. He later claimed that certain elements were attempting to “vitiate the atmosphere” and linked the attack on him to his past advocacy for justice in another custodial case.
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