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Two SOG personnel went missing in Kishtwar’s Dachhan on Wednesday. Police and Army have launched a joint search operation.
Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) personnel in Kulgam, Jammu and Kashmir (Photo: PTI)
Two Special Police Officers (SPOs) went missing from the higher reaches of Dachhan in Jammu and Kashmir’s Kishtwar district on Wednesday, prompting security forces to launch a massive joint search operation to trace them, officials said, according to news agency PTI.
The missing personnel were identified as Babi Chand (57) and Rashpal Kumar (45), both of whom were posted with the Special Operations Group (SOG) of the local police at their Kiyar village in Dachhan.
According to the officials, the two personnel were travelling from Kiyar camp towards an Army post at Dharna-Marwah when they failed to reach their destination. They were reportedly on their way to relieve duty at the post.
Their mobile phones were initially reachable but were later switched off, raising concerns about their whereabouts.
Following their disappearance, police and the Army’s Rashtriya Rifles launched a massive joint search operation to locate them.
Security teams were deployed in the surrounding areas, including difficult mountainous and forest terrain, to establish their whereabouts and ascertain the circumstances surrounding their disappearance, the officials said.
Gunshots were also reportedly heard in the area, and police have not ruled out a possible terror angle in the incident. However, officials were quoted as saying that it would be premature to link the disappearance to any militant activity until the facts emerge.
At A Glance
Two SOG personnel, Babi Chand (57) and Rashpal Kumar (45), went missing in Kishtwar’s Dachhan area
They were travelling from Kiyar camp towards an Army post at Dharna-Marwah when they failed to reach their destination.
Their mobile phones were initially reachable but were later switched off.
Kishtwar has remained a focus of security operations aimed at eliminating the remaining militant presence in its remote and forested areas. Successive counter-insurgency operations have resulted in the killing of several active terrorists, significantly weakening their presence in the district.
However, difficult terrain and vast forested stretches continue to pose operational challenges for security agencies, officials said.
The district has also witnessed casualties among security personnel and terrorists in recent years.
According to the figures available, five people, including four terrorists and one Army soldier, were killed in terror-related incidents in 2026.
In 2025, the toll stood at four, comprising three terrorists and one Army soldier. In 2024, three security personnel and two civilians lost their lives.
ADMINISTRATION URGES LOCALS TO HELP COUNTER TERRORISM
The latest incident comes against the backdrop of repeated appeals by the district administration and security agencies for greater public cooperation in tackling terrorism and ensuring lasting peace in the region.
On October 4, Kishtwar Deputy Commissioner Pankaj Kumar Sharma urged residents of the remote areas of Marwah, Warwan and Dachhan to stand united against terrorism and share timely information about the movement of suspected terrorists with security forces.
“Marwah, Warwan and Dachhan areas have immense tourism potential, but the presence of active militants remains one of the key reasons restricting tourist movement in the region,” Sharma had said.
He stressed that peace and security were essential for promoting tourism and ensuring sustainable development in the region.
Quick Answers
Ask News18Two Special Police Officers, Babi Chand and Rashpal Kumar, went missing while traveling from their Kiyar camp toward an Army post at Dharna-Marwah in Dachhan. Their mobile phones were initially reachable before being switched off, prompting security forces to launch a joint search operation.
Ask News18About the Author
Vani Mehrotra is the Deputy News Editor at News18.com. She has more than 10 years of experience in national and international news and has previously worked on multiple desks.
November 11, 2026, 11:37 PM IST
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