SRINAGAR: Jammu and Kashmir Police have traced two minor boys, who had gone missing from Rajbagh in Kathua district over a fortnight ago, to Krandi village in the same district. The development comes amid heightened security concerns following the recent killings of three civilians in the region.
Police said the boys, aged 12 and 15, had apparently travelled to Punjab in search of work but were unable to provide a clear account of their whereabouts. However, one of them told reporters that they had been abducted from Hardoi Muthi village by people in a black vehicle, taken to a house, and provided food. Days later, they reportedly boarded a bus and a train before ending up in Krandi.
The boys had gone missing on February 27 while grazing cattle near the Bhamberwan Goat Farm. Their families alerted the police, prompting an extensive search operation involving multiple teams dispatched to Punjab and neighbouring areas. Deputy Inspector General of Police for Jammu, Samba, and Kathua range, Shiv Kumar Sharma, had personally visited their families and directed the circulation of their photographs to aid the search.
Rajbagh Station House Officer Ajay Singh Chib confirmed that the boys were found in a field in Rajbagh and reunited with their families. The duo claimed that a man had taken them to Pathankot, fed them for a few days, and later dropped them in the field after sedating them. Police are investigating these claims.
The incident has drawn additional attention as security concerns in the region mount. The matter was raised in the assembly after the bodies of three civilians—Yogesh Singh, 32, Darshan Singh, 40, and Varun Singh, 15—were discovered in Ishu Nallah on March 8, two days after they went missing while travelling to a wedding.
Union Minister Jitendra Singh attributed the killings to terrorists, calling it a “deep conspiracy” aimed at disturbing peace. He said the Union Home Secretary would assess the situation on the ground. Meanwhile, Chief Minister Omar Abdullah condemned the killings as “barbaric,” and Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha has ordered a thorough investigation.
A shutdown was observed in Billawar and adjoining areas on Sunday in protest against the killings.
