The Kashmir Pulse

KISHTWAR — The search for two Special Police Officers (SPOs) who went missing while proceeding towards a temporary Army operating base in the remote Marwah area of Kishtwar ended in tragedy on Thursday, with their bodies reportedly recovered from the Dherna forest area.

The missing personnel have been identified as SPO Rashpal Kumar and SPO Babbi Chand, both deployed at Police Post Kiyar. They had gone missing on Wednesday after setting out to join their rotational duty at the Temporary Operating Base (TOB) of the Army’s 17 Rashtriya Rifles in the Deherna Top area.

According to information available, firing involving approximately 20 to 25 rounds was reported at around 4:30 pm on Wednesday from the Bachnan forest area, falling within the Anderwan Forest Block of Deherna in Marwah.

Around the same time, the two SPOs were proceeding from Kiyar towards the Army’s temporary operating base to join their scheduled duty. As part of the weekly rotation arrangement, two personnel from Police Post Kiyar are deployed at the TOB alongside the Army.

The two SPOs were initially accompanied up to Kiyar Top by a Special Operations Group (SOG) party from Police Post Kiyar, headed by In-charge SgCT Nisar Ahmed. After reaching Kiyar Top, the party noticed pony porters, following which Rashpal and Babbi Chand proceeded further towards the TOB with them. The SOG party subsequently returned towards Police Post Kiyar.

However, the two personnel failed to reach their designated destination and their whereabouts remained unknown. Meanwhile, the two SPOs, being relieved from the TOB, after completing their rotational duty, safely reached Police Post Kiyar.

Following their disappearance, a joint search operation was launched involving personnel from Police Station Marwah, SOG Marwah and the Army’s 17 Rashtriya Rifles. Search teams were deployed across the surrounding forested and mountainous terrain to trace the missing personnel and establish the circumstances surrounding their disappearance.

The two SPOs were carrying their service weapons and ammunition. Rashpal was armed with an INSAS rifle and 60 rounds, while Babbi Chand was carrying a .303 rifle with 50 rounds.

National media reports on Thursday said the bodies of both personnel had been recovered and that they bore bullet injuries. Their service weapons were also reported missing. The circumstances in which the two were killed, however, remain subject to investigation.

The firing reported from the forest area around the time of their disappearance has added to the seriousness of the incident, although no official confirmation establishing a direct connection between the firing and their deaths was available at the time of filing this report.

SRINAGAR — The relentless rise in prices of essential food items is placing an increasingly unbearable burden on ordinary households across Kashmir, with milk, eggs, vegetables and fruits becoming costlier and leaving families struggling to manage even their daily kitchen expenses.

From breakfast to dinner, the impact of inflation is being felt in almost every household. Items that were once considered basic necessities are increasingly turning into expensive purchases, forcing families to cut down on quantities, compromise on their food budgets and reconsider everyday spending.

The price of an egg tray has reached Rs 230 in local markets, adding to the mounting pressure on household budgets. Milk prices have also been revised, while consumers continue to face high prices of vegetables and fruits, making routine grocery shopping an increasingly expensive exercise.

For salaried employees, daily wagers, pensioners and families dependent on limited incomes, the situation is particularly difficult. While household incomes remain largely unchanged, the cost of maintaining a kitchen continues to climb, leaving little room for savings or other essential expenses.

"What has particularly angered consumers is the apparent absence of effective market regulation," said a consumer to the news agency KNT. Questions are being raised over who monitors the prices being charged by traders, whether regular market inspections are being conducted and what action is taken against those found overcharging customers.

Consumers say there appears to be no effective mechanism to ensure that prices remain reasonable or that traders adhere to prescribed rates. In the absence of visible and consistent enforcement, market conditions are increasingly being perceived as arbitrary, with ordinary buyers left to bear the consequences.

The concern is not merely about the increase in the price of one or two commodities. It is the cumulative burden of rising prices across almost every essential category that is breaking the financial back of ordinary families.

People are questioning the role of the concerned departments and market regulatory authorities, asking why consumers are repeatedly expected to absorb price increases without any visible intervention to protect their interests.

"The administration needs to move beyond routine assurances and undertake regular market inspections, verify prevailing rates, check for unjustified profiteering and ensure that consumers are not exploited," the consumers said.

The consumers said that access to affordable food is a basic necessity, not a luxury. "When milk, eggs, vegetables and fruits become increasingly difficult for ordinary families to afford, the issue goes beyond market fluctuations and becomes a matter of public concern demanding immediate attention," they added.

PULWAMA — Residents of several villages along the Pulwama–Awantipora road urge authorities to undertake comprehensive upgradation and proper macadamisation, widen narrow stretches and repair damaged portions to ease the hardships faced by daily commuters.

Residents of Dangerpora, Tengpuna, Koil, Malangpora and Pudgampora told the news agency KNO that the road has emerged as a crucial transportation link for thousands of people, connecting several rural habitations with Pulwama, Awantipora and other adjoining areas.

They said the existing condition of the road and the need for its improvement have made daily commuting difficult, particularly for students, employees, patients, traders and people travelling for other essential purposes.

According to residents, the road holds considerable importance as it provides connectivity to prominent institutions, including the Islamic University of Science and Technology (IUST) and AIIMS Awantipora. Thousands of students, employees, patients and attendants use the route, making its proper development necessary in view of the growing movement of people and vehicles.

They said the road should no longer be left to temporary patchwork and routine repairs, stressing that a comprehensive upgradation plan was required to address the long-standing transportation difficulties.

"Thousands of people depend on this road every day. Students have to reach educational institutions, patients travel to hospitals and employees commute to their workplaces. Its poor condition and narrow stretches cause unnecessary inconvenience to commuters," Rizwan, a resident of Koil, said.

He said widening of vulnerable stretches, proper drainage arrangements, durable macadamisation and installation of necessary road safety infrastructure should form part of the proposed development work.

The residents also highlighted the economic significance of the road, saying improved connectivity would facilitate transportation of goods, strengthen local businesses and provide easier access to markets and other essential services.

They said a properly maintained and sufficiently wide road would not only reduce commuting difficulties but also improve connectivity between rural areas and major urban and institutional centres.

Seeking immediate intervention, the residents appealed to Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha, Chief Minister Omar Abdullah, Deputy Commissioner (DC) Pulwama and the Roads and Buildings Department authorities to take up the issue on priority.

They urged the administration to assess the existing condition of the road, identify stretches requiring widening and initiate comprehensive improvement works without further delay.

The residents said the Pulwama–Awantipora road caters to a large population and deserves adequate attention in view of its growing importance, adding that its upgradation would be a significant relief for commuters and serve the larger public interest.