Singh has appealed directly to Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Home Minister Amit Shah, and Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha, pleading for a CBI or NIA probe to uncover the truth
By PC Bureau
In the rugged hills of Malhar, Billawar, in Jammu and Kashmir’s Kathua district, a tragedy has left a family shattered and a community in mourning. On March 8, 2025, the bodies of three young men—14-year-old Varun Singh, his 40-year-old uncle Darshan Singh, and his 32-year-old maternal uncle Yogesh Kumar—were found lifeless in a nullah, three days after they vanished while attending a wedding procession.
For Chmail Singh, Varun’s father, the pain of losing his son, brother, and brother-in-law is compounded by the agonizing silence from authorities and a desperate quest for answers. “They were kidnapped and murdered,” Chmail Singh insists, his voice trembling with grief and frustration. “This was no accident. It was a targeted killing.”
The family’s anguish is palpable as they grapple with the loss of three loved ones, taken under circumstances that remain shrouded in mystery. Singh dismisses official narratives suggesting the trio succumbed to the elements or an accidental fall.
“The police say they took off their clothes due to the heat, but it was five degrees Celsius up there. How can they call it an accident when there were no signs of a fall on their bodies or clothes?” he questions, his words heavy with disbelief.
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The trio had been part of a joyous wedding procession on March 5, traveling from Dehota to Surag village. Somewhere along the way, they moved ahead of the group, only to vanish into the night. Their phones went silent, and despite exhaustive searches by police, army, and locals, no trace was found until their bodies surfaced in the Khad three days later, on March 8.
“We waited, we hoped, we prayed,” Singh recalls, his eyes welling up. “But when we saw them, our world collapsed.”For Chmail Singh and his family, the aftermath has been a torment of unanswered questions and bureaucratic indifference. “The police haven’t even filed an FIR,” Singh laments, his voice rising with indignation.
“They say the FSL report is submitted, but we haven’t seen it. No officer takes our calls. No one from the administration or government has reached out since the last rites were performed.” The family feels abandoned, left to grieve in isolation while the specter of militancy looms large in the Lohi Malhar area, where Singh claims militants have operated with local support for decades.
The tragedy has sparked outrage among relatives and locals, who gathered to demand justice and a thorough investigation. Singh has appealed directly to Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Home Minister Amit Shah, and Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha, pleading for a CBI or NIA probe to uncover the truth. “This was plain murder,” he asserts. “We want justice for Varun, Darshan, and Yogesh. We want those responsible to be held accountable.
”The lack of transparency has only deepened the family’s wounds. Promises made by visiting officials in the days following the tragedy have evaporated, leaving Singh and his kin in a limbo of grief and suspicion. “How long must we wait?” he asks, his voice breaking. “Our loved ones are gone, and we’re still in shock. All we ask is for the truth.”As the days turn to months, the mysterious deaths of Varun, Darshan, and Yogesh remain an open wound for their family and a troubling enigma for the community.
In the shadow of Kathua’s hills, Chmail Singh’s plea echoes: a father’s desperate cry for justice, for closure, for a chance to lay his loved ones’ memory to rest with the dignity they deserve.
