Teen Among 3 Found Dead Days After Disappearance In J&K’s Kathua; BJP Calls It ‘Cold-Blooded Murder’

The bodies of three missing persons were found near a waterfall in Jammu and Kashmir's Kathua district. The three, including a teenager, had gone missing on March 5 while returning from a wedding.

Representational Image | Drones located the bodies of three missing individuals in a waterfall in Kathua district, Jammu and Kashmir.

Source : ABPLIVE AI

The bodies of a teenager and his two relatives were recovered near a waterfall in the higher reaches of Jammu and Kashmir’s Kathua district on Saturday, three days after they went missing while attending a marriage function, officials said. 

Varun Singh (15) of Dehota, his uncle Yogesh Singh (32), and maternal uncle Darshan Singh (40) were spotted in Ishu Nallah in Malhar area using drones during a joint search operation by the police and the Army late in the afternoon, officials told news agency PTI.

The bodies were later retrieved after a challenging operation due to the steep terrain. Officials said a preliminary investigation ruled out a terror angle, as no visible injuries were found on the bodies. The exact cause of death will be determined after a postmortem, they added.

According to officials, Darshan’s brother Brijesh was getting married, and the trio had left early for the bride’s home in Lohai Malhar in Billawar tehsil at around 5:30 pm on March 5. The last call from Darshan came around 8:30 pm, informing the family that they had lost their way.

When they failed to return home, a search operation involving the police and the Army was launched. As per PTI, officials noted that the area has witnessed several terror incidents, including an attack on an Army vehicle last year that left five soldiers dead.

BJP Alleges ‘Cold-Blooded Murder’, MLA Demands Answers From J&K Govt

Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) spokesperson RS Pathania alleged that the incident was a “cold-blooded murder” by terrorists. “Prima facie, the evidence suggests that this entire mass murder was perpetrated by militants. One thing I want to assure is that the perpetrators will not go unpunished. Under the guidance of Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Union Home Minister Amit Shah, terrorism is on its last leg,” he said, as quoted by NDTV.  

BJP legislator Satesh Sharma had raised the issue in the Jammu and Kashmir Assembly on Friday. “I want to inform the House about three missing civilians. We seek answers from the government,” he said, as quoted by PTI.  

On February 16, the bodies of two villagers, Shamsher (37) and Roshan (45), were found in Kohag village in Billawar. Their postmortem revealed they had been strangled to death.