Two Indian police officers killed in IIOJK shooting

The bullet-riddled bodies of two policemen were found on Thursday in Indian Illegally Occupied Jammu and Kashmir, officials said, a day after suspected rebels wounded three paramilitary troops in a separate attack.

The back-to-back shootings have raised fresh security concerns, days after Prime Minister Narendra Modi hailed a year without casualties among paramilitary forces in the disputed Himalayan region.

The two officers were found dead in Kishtwar, about 220 kilometres (136 miles) southeast of Srinagar, a day after they were reported missing in the same area. Locals reported hearing gunshots early Thursday.

Opposition Congress party president Mallikarjun Kharge said he was “deeply anguished by the tragic loss” of the two policemen.

Local legislator Shagun Parihar blamed “terrorists”, referring to rebels opposed to Indian rule, and said that the attack would be “avenged as soon as possible”.

A police officer, speaking on condition of anonymity because he was not authorised to discuss the matter with journalists, confirmed the men had been shot.

Their bodies “were found with bullet injuries”, he told AFP.

The officer said the “incident is being investigated”, declining to assign blame.

Police have not shared any details about the shooting.

In a separate incident on Wednesday, gunmen riding motorbikes opened fire on members of the paramilitary Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) at a security checkpoint in Kulgam district, wounding three before fleeing, according to police.

The attacks came days after Modi celebrated zero “CRPF casualties” in a year “for the first time in 47 years”.

“A ZERO that speaks volumes,” Modi posted on X.

Muslim-majority Kashmir is divided between India and Pakistan since their independence from British rule in 1947 with both claiming the region in full.

Rebel groups have waged a decades-long insurgency seeking independence or merger of the territory with Pakistan.

India regularly blames Pakistan for arming and training rebels for launching attacks on Indian forces in Kashmir, allegations Islamabad denies.