Residents of a village in Pakistan-occupied Kashmir (PoK) have said that five men who died in a purported gunfight with security forces in Kupwara last Thursday could be their missing relatives who had gone to the forests to collect herbs, bringing into question the army’s claim of having killed five Lashkar militants in the operation.

On October 26, the army and police said they had killed Lashkar militants in Operation Shikanja in the Machaal sector of Kupwara during a daylong gunfight.

Multiple videos of residents of Sonar village in Neelum Valley, on the other side of the LoC, now claim that the five men could be their “innocent relatives” who had gone missing on October 26.

One video shows local political and social activist Mohammad Idrees, surrounded by the relatives of the “missing” men, saying the villagers depend on the forests for their livelihood.

“They (five men) had gone to the forests to collect herbs. By mistake, they seem to have crossed (the LoC). By evening, when they did not return, their families lodged a missing (persons) report with the police. The next day, the Indian media said five terrorists had been killed,” Idrees said.

“They are innocent labourers who had no links with jihadi groups. Perhaps they crossed (the LoC) by mistake or were picked up by the Indian army and killed. We request authorities to hand over the bodies to us for proper burial.”

PoK-based journalist Tariq Naqash, who works for The Dawn, posted a picture of the 11-year-old son of Fayaz Ahamad, one of the missing men, on his social media account.

Local people have identified the five as Muhammad Siddique, Sher Afzal, Fayaz Ahmed, Ghulam Rasool and Sarfaraz Ahmed.

“Joint Anti Infiltration Operations by Rashtriya Rifle (RR) troops in Machhal Sector, #Kupwara have resulted in elimination of 05xTerrorists who were attempting to cross the Line of Control into Kashmir. 05xAK Rifles & other war like stores have been recovered. The operation has been concluded,” the Army had posted on X on October 26.

The next day, top army and police officers, including the general officer commanding the 28 Infantry Division, Major General Girish Kalia, addressed a news conference in Kupwara where they gave details about the purported gunfight.

Colonel Rajat Birman, commanding officer of the 56 Rashtriya Rifles, who led the purported operation, said it was launched following an input by the police.

The officer said the operation took place in “very difficult terrain with high mountains, thick jungles, nullahs and large boulders”.

“Terrorists were challenged. They opened fire and tried to flee. Ambush parties retaliated effectively, resulting in the immediate neutralisation of two terrorists,” he said.

Birman said the remaining terrorists took cover in the dense forests but were spotted by surveillance devices and drones.