Darshan Singh, 40, Yogesh Singh, 32, and 15-year-old Varun Singh went missing on March 5 while returning from a wedding in Marhoon village. Their bodies were discovered Saturday near a waterfall on the edge of an escarpment in a wooded area. Police had initially ruled out a terrorist strike, saying the cause of death would be determined after autopsies. If confirmed as a terrorist attack, it would mark the deadliest strike on civilians in Jammu region since the June 9, 2024, ambush on a bus carrying pilgrims in Reasi district, which killed nine people and wounded 41. PDP president Mehbooba Mufti described the situation in Kathua as ‘deeply alarming’ and warned that elements within and beyond India’s borders could be attempting to stoke communal tensions in the sensitive region. Security forces remain on high alert as melting snow in the mountainous region is expected to facilitate infiltration attempts. The killings sparked protests in nearby Billawer town, where locals observed a complete shutdown Sunday.