Sun Mar 09 15:27:32 UTC 2025: ## Kathua Killings Spark Outrage and Investigation in Jammu and Kashmir

**SRINAGAR, March 9, 2025** – The killing of three civilians, including a 14-year-old boy, in Jammu and Kashmir’s Kathua district has sparked widespread outrage and prompted a high-level investigation. The victims, Varun Singh, Yogesh Singh, and Darshan Singh, went missing on March 5th after attending a wedding and their bodies were discovered near a waterbody on March 8th.

Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha ordered a thorough and transparent investigation, assuring the public that the perpetrators will be brought to justice. Union Minister Jitendra Singh alluded to a terrorist angle, stating the killings were a matter of grave concern and that the Union Home Secretary is traveling to Jammu to assess the situation. The Minister’s statement follows similar incidents in February, where two farmers were found dead in the same area.

The killings have triggered protests and a shutdown in Kathua. Former Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Mehbooba Mufti described the escalating violence as deeply alarming, highlighting a recent surge in deaths from both Hindu and Muslim communities. She also raised concerns about alleged police brutality and the use of repressive laws like the Public Safety Act (PSA) and Unlawful Activities Prevention Act (UAPA) against locals. Ms. Mufti urged authorities to focus on identifying and prosecuting the true culprits.

BJP leader and Leader of the Opposition Sunil Sharma also expressed concern, meeting with protesters and assuring them that those responsible would be brought to justice. Kathua, previously witnessing a decline in militant activity, has seen a recent resurgence in violence in the past few years.

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