Two Village Defence Guards (VDGs) have been reportedly killed by militants on Thursday in Jammu and Kashmir’s Kishtwar district, specifically in the Chatroo area.
The militant group, Kashmir Tigers, has claimed responsibility for the attack. The deceased have been identified as Kuldeep Kumar and Nazir.
According to district officials, both guards were reported missing earlier in the day. They had left for the forests in the Kuntwara area of Chatroo in the morning to tend to livestock but did not return by evening. Before local villagers could alert the authorities, the militants released photographs of the two VDGs, along with a statement confirming their deaths.
Following the attack, police and security forces have intensified their presence in the region. A senior officer stated that militant activity has been on the rise in the area, with multiple reports of gunfire exchanges between militants and security forces in recent months. There were also incidents of gunfire during the recent Assembly elections, further highlighting the security challenges in the region.
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