Two Special Police Officers (SPOs) went missing in the higher reaches of Dachhan in Jammu and Kashmir's Kishtwar district on Wednesday, triggering a joint search operation by the police and the Army, 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 were travelling from the Kiyar camp to an Army post at Dharna-Marwah but failed to reach their destination. Their mobile phones were initially reachable before being switched off, raising concerns over their whereabouts.
Following their disappearance, police and Army personnel from the Rashtriya Rifles launched an extensive search operation across the area. Security teams have been deployed in the surrounding mountainous and forested terrain to trace the missing officers and establish the circumstances of their disappearance.
Officials cautioned against linking the incident to militant activity at this stage, saying it would be premature to draw any conclusions until more details emerge.
The incident comes amid continued counter-insurgency operations in Kishtwar, where security forces have been attempting to eliminate the remaining militant presence in remote forested areas. Despite the killing of several active terrorists in successive operations, the district's difficult terrain and vast forest cover continue to pose challenges for security agencies.
According to available figures, five people, including four terrorists and an Army soldier, were killed in terror-related incidents in the district in 2026.
The toll stood at four in 2025, comprising three terrorists and an Army soldier. In 2024, three security personnel and two civilians lost their lives.
The disappearance also comes against the backdrop of appeals by the district administration for public cooperation in tackling terrorism.
On October 4, Kishtwar Deputy Commissioner Pankaj Kumar Sharma urged residents of the remote areas of Marwah, Warwan and Dachhan to unite against terrorism and promptly share information about the movement of suspected militants with security forces.
He had said the presence of active militants remained a major impediment to tourism in the region, despite its considerable tourism potential, and stressed that peace and security were essential for sustainable development.
(With inputs from PTI)
