India, Nov. 12 -- Special Police Officers (SPOs), who play a key role in Jammu and Kashmir's security operations, said on Thursday that they perform a range of duties for the police but earn meagre salaries and receive no retirement benefits.

The killing of two missing SPOs - Rashpal Kumar, 45, and Babbi Chand, 57 - in the upper reaches of Dachhan has once again brought the personnel's working conditions into focus.

SPOs perform law and order duties, take part in counter-insurgency operations and also don the role of domestic help to senior police officers. But contrary to the post, they take home a paltry sum of Rs.6,000 to Rs. 18,000 a month.

The SPOs with less than five years of service take home Rs.6,000 per month; those with five ...