SRINAGAR: Leader of Opposition in the Jammu and Kashmir Legislative Assembly Sunil Sharma on Sunday accused the Congress of spreading misleading information over the killing of two Special Police Officers (SPOs) in Kishtwar, alleging that JKPCC president Tariq Karra had made contradictory statements by suggesting that the Army was responsible for their deaths.
Strongly condemning Karra’s remarks, Sharma said SPOs Rashpal Kumar and Babi Chand were on official duty with the Special Operations Group (SOG) and were travelling to an Army post at Dharna-Marwah to relieve personnel deployed there when they were killed.
Rejecting Karra’s description of the two SPOs as hunters, Sharma said they were performing their assigned duties and were not out hunting.
“Calling two martyrs hunters is an insult to their sacrifice and to their grieving families,” he said.
Questioning the suggestion that the incident could have resulted from mistaken identity, Sharma claimed that the terrorists had taken away the SPOs’ rifles, magazines and ammunition. He also referred to the alleged recovery of Pakistani-origin armour-piercing cartridges from the spot and the release of posters of three wanted terrorists by J&K Police, carrying a reward of Rs 30 lakh.
“Does Congress want people to believe that the Indian Army killed our own policemen and then ran away with their rifles?” he asked.
Sharma also questioned the consistency of Karra’s account, claiming that the Congress leader had acknowledged that the SPOs had crossed two security pickets without any difficulty.
He said the pickets were already operational and that Army personnel were familiar with the local SOG personnel, who routinely travelled between police and Army posts.
“The mistaken identity story contradicts itself,” Sharma said.
Accusing Karra of changing his position on the incident, Sharma said that on November 14, the Congress leader had cited the killings as evidence of terrorism, but blamed the Army a day later.
He further alleged that Karra had relied on “claims” and “reports” while making serious allegations against the Army in public.
“Spreading hearsay on a terror killing is not politics, it is irresponsibility,” Sharma said, adding that the remarks could provide an opportunity for Pakistan’s propaganda machinery to target the Indian Army.
Referring to ongoing anti-terror operations in the upper reaches of Kishtwar, Sharma said Army personnel, SPOs and Village Defence Guards (VDGs) were operating in difficult terrain across Warwan, Dachhan and Marwah to track down those responsible for the killings.
He accused the Congress of undermining the morale of security personnel and creating mistrust between the public and the security forces.
Sharma demanded that Karra withdraw his remarks and apologise to the families of the deceased SPOs, J&K Police and the Indian Army. He also asked the Congress leadership to clarify whether it supported the security forces or stood by Karra’s allegations.
“The people of Jammu and Kashmir stand firmly with our forces. The terrorists behind this cowardly act will be hunted down and brought to justice,” he said.
The controversy comes amid demands by the National Conference and Congress for an investigation into the circumstances surrounding the November 12 killings of the two SPOs in the upper reaches of Kishtwar.
