In a shocking incident, two Village Defence Guards (VDGs) members were abducted and brutally killed by terrorists in the remote Munjla Dhar area of Kishtwar’s Kuntwara region today.
JAMMU: In a shocking incident, two Village Defence Guards (VDGs) members were abducted and brutally killed by terrorists in the remote Munjla Dhar area of Kishtwar’s Kuntwara region today.
A high-ranking police official informed The New Indian that “two VDGs, Nazir Ahmed and Kuldeep Kumar from Ohli Kuntwara, went missing in the highlands while tending their livestock. Later, images of their lifeless bodies surfaced on social media, which family members verified. Following this, a combined search effort by police and security forces is underway.”
The victims were identified as Nazir Ahmed, son of Mohammad Khalil, and Kuldeep Kumar, son of Amar Chand, both hailing from Ohli village. Reports indicate that they were intercepted and abducted by terrorists while herding cattle in Munjla Dhar and were unarmed at the time.
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It is believed that local informants may have tipped off the terrorists about the victims’ identities as VDGs, leading to their kidnapping when they entered the forest. Tragically, Kuldeep Kumar had not visited the forest for a week due to his father’s passing and had resumed his routine today.
Security teams have been deployed in the forests to retrieve the bodies and track down the attackers, although the bodies remain unlocated as of the latest update. Reports also suggest that the terrorists used the victims’ phones to send images of their bodies via messaging apps, presumably to confirm the killings to associates.
The Kashmir Tigers, linked to the Pakistan-based Jaish-e-Mohammad (JeM), have claimed responsibility, sharing images of the deceased with their eyes blindfolded and hands bound.
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Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha has denounced the violent attack, paying tribute to the slain Nazir Ahmed and Kuldeep Kumar, and reaffirming the government’s commitment to eradicating terrorist networks. “This cowardly act is beyond condemnation,” he posted on social media, extending his sympathies to the families of the “valiant sons” lost in the attack.
National Conference (NC) leader Dr. Farooq Abdullah and Chief Minister Omar Abdullah also condemned the tragic killings, calling such violence a major hindrance to lasting peace in Jammu and Kashmir. They expressed their support for the bereaved families, stating, “In this hour of grief, our thoughts and prayers are with them.”
The Sanatan Dharam Sabha (SDS) in Kishtwar has announced a shutdown tomorrow in protest of the killings, demanding justice for the fallen VDGs and action against those responsible.