Search operation intensifies in Jammu and Kashmirs Kishtwar as two SPOs go untraceable
Drones are being used to search areas that are difficult to access, while sniffer dogs are helping ground teams track possible movements.
PTC News Desk: Security forces have intensified the search for two missing Special Police Officers (SPOs) in the upper forest areas of Dachhan in Jammu and Kashmir's Kishtwar district for the second consecutive day on Thursday, officials said.
Additional police and Army personnel have been deployed, while specialised teams equipped with drones and sniffer dogs are searching the dense forests and difficult mountain areas.
The missing personnel have been identified as Babi Chand, 57, and Rashpal Kumar, 45. Both were posted with the Special Operations Group (SOG) of the local police at Kiyar village in Dachhan.
They went missing on Wednesday while travelling from their camp to an Army post at Dharna-Marwah.
Their mobile phones were initially reachable but were switched off later, raising concerns among security agencies and prompting a large-scale search operation.
Officials said the search has been expanded to cover a wider area around Kiyar village and the route leading towards Dharna-Marwah. Multiple teams are checking dense forests, remote areas and mountain trails to trace the missing officers.
Drones are being used to search areas that are difficult to access, while sniffer dogs are helping ground teams track possible movements.
Officials said all possible angles are being examined to determine the circumstances behind their disappearance. However, they cautioned against linking the incident to militant activity at this stage, saying it would be too early to reach any conclusion before the facts are established.
Kulgham terror attack
Earlier on Wednesday, three Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) personnel were injured on Wednesday afternoon when unidentified gunmen on a motorcycle opened fire on a checkpoint in Jammu and Kashmir’s Kulgam district.
The incident took place at around 2:15 pm near the CRPF’s Akhran camp, where the troops were stationed on checkpoint duty. The injured have been identified as Head Constable Somveer, Constable Santano and Constable Rakesh Das, all serving with the force’s 46th Battalion. They were shifted to a hospital in Anantnag for treatment.
A sensitive belt in south Kashmir
Kulgam, roughly 70 to 75 kilometre from Srinagar, lies in south Kashmir and has long been regarded as one of the region’s most militancy-affected areas. Along with Anantnag and Shopian, it forms part of a belt that has repeatedly witnessed terror-related incidents.
Militancy-related violence since 2024
Jammu and Kashmir has recorded 548 terror-related incidents since 2024, according to the figures cited. These have claimed the lives of 45 security personnel, while 138 militants have been killed during the same period.