Two SPOs Go Missing In Kishtwar, Police And Army Launch Massive Search Operation

Two Special Police Officers (SPOs) went missing in the higher reaches of Dachhan in Jammu and Kashmir's Kishtwar district on Wednesday, prompting police and the Army to launch a massive joint search operation to trace them, officials said.

The missing personnel have been identified as Babi Chand (57) and Rashpal Kumar (45), both attached to the Special Operations Group (SOG) of the local police and posted at Kiyar village in Dachhan.

According to officials, the two SPOs were travelling from the Kiyar camp to an Army post at Dharna-Marwah when they failed to reach their destination. 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 coordinated search operation across the surrounding areas. Security personnel have been deployed in difficult mountainous and forested terrain to locate the missing officers and establish the circumstances behind their disappearance. Officials said it would be premature to link the incident to militant activity until more information emerges.

The disappearance comes amid continued counter-insurgency operations in Kishtwar, which has witnessed several terror-related incidents in recent years. According to available figures, five people, including four terrorists and an Army soldier, were killed in terror-related incidents in the district in 2026. In 2025, four people, including three terrorists and an Army soldier, lost their lives, while 2024 recorded the deaths of three security personnel and two civilians.

On October 4, Kishtwar Deputy Commissioner Pankaj Kumar Sharma had urged residents of remote areas, including Marwah, Warwan and Dachhan, to cooperate with security agencies and share information about suspected militant movements.

He had also highlighted the region's tourism potential, stressing that lasting peace and security were essential for promoting tourism and sustainable development.