The J&K police on Sunday claimed that two slain militants, killed in the Kulgam encounter on Saturday, were found to be infected with the novel coronavirus — the first such cases since the police began taking samples from slain militants.
“While carrying out the medico-legal formalities, the samples of the killed terrorists were taken and sent for COVID-19 test. On Sunday, the test reports were received from the Chest Disease Hospital, Srinagar, and both the killed terrorists were confirmed as coronavirus positive,” a Srinagar-based police spokesman said.
The two militants, one of whom was a non-local while the other is yet to be identified, were killed in a daylong operation in Kulgam.
“The bodies of these killed terrorists shall be buried as per COVID-19 protocol at Baramulla,” the police spokesman added.
Isolated graves
The J&K police said since the outbreak of the COVID-19 pandemic and to ensure the safety of people from inherent risk of contracting the infection, the burial of the killed terrorists is carried out at designated places in north and central Kashmir.
Dozens of militants, mostly locals, have been buried in far off and less populated hilly areas. No bodies have been handed over to the families for burial in their native places since April.
On April 22, Director General of Police Dilbagh Singh expressed apprehension over “Pakistan trying to export coronavirus patients to Jammu & Kashmir”.
“It’s is a matter of investigation that Pakistan which used to export terrorists in Jammu and Kashmir, will now export coronavirus patients here,” Mr. Singh had said.
