Babi Chand and Rashpal Kumar fail to reach Army post after leaving Kiyar camp; reports of gunfire add to concern, but officials caution against premature conclusions about militant involvement
By: News Desk | 11 November 2026
Kishtwar: A major search operation has been launched in the remote Dachhan–Marwah belt of Jammu and Kashmir’s Kishtwar district after two Special Police Officers (SPOs) attached to the Jammu and Kashmir Police’s Special Operations Group (SOG) went missing while travelling towards an Army post.
The missing personnel have been identified in official-source-based reports as Babi Chand, 57, and Rashpal Kumar, 45. Both were posted with the SOG at Kiyar village in the Dachhan area.
According to officials cited by news agencies, the two personnel left the Kiyar camp for an Army post in the Dharna–Marwah sector but failed to reach their destination. Their mobile phones were initially reachable before becoming inaccessible, raising concerns about their whereabouts.
Police and Army personnel, including Rashtriya Rifles teams, have launched a joint search operation across the surrounding mountainous and forested terrain. The immediate priority is to locate the missing officers and establish what happened during their journey.
The disappearance has attracted particular attention because of reports that gunfire was heard in the wider forest area around the time the personnel went missing. However, authorities have cautioned against linking the incident to militant activity before the facts are established.
What happened in Kishtwar?
The two SPOs were attached to the Special Operations Group, a unit involved in police operations against militancy and other security threats.
Officials said they were travelling from their Kiyar camp towards an Army post in the Dharna–Marwah area when they failed to arrive at their assigned destination.
Their failure to report for duty triggered concern among security personnel. Their mobile phones were reportedly reachable initially but were later switched off or became inaccessible.
The disappearance prompted security teams to move into the area and begin searches along the route and in the surrounding forest stretches.
Reports have also indicated that an SPO team, accompanied by police officers, proceeded towards the area during the evening as part of the initial response.
At present, the precise point where the two personnel were last seen has not been publicly established in the available reporting. Nor has an official account explained whether they were travelling together throughout the journey or what happened immediately before communication was lost.
These details will be important in reconstructing the sequence of events.
Gunshots reported, but militant link remains unconfirmed
One of the most concerning aspects of the incident is the reported sound of gunfire in the Deharna forest area.
Some media reports, citing sources, said firing was heard at approximately 3:30 pm on Wednesday. Reports also referred to a disruption in mobile network connectivity in parts of the Marwah area around the same period.
The timing has raised questions about whether the firing and the disappearance are connected.
However, no confirmed evidence has established that the two SPOs were targeted by militants. Officials have cautioned that it would be premature to attribute the disappearance to a militant attack before the search operation establishes what happened.
That distinction is important. Gunfire reported in a forest area does not, by itself, establish an encounter, an ambush or an abduction.
Investigators will need to determine whether the sound of firing was connected to the officers’ disappearance, whether there was any exchange of fire and whether evidence from the route supports the possibility of an attack.
Until then, militant involvement remains an unconfirmed possibility rather than an established fact.
Search teams face difficult mountainous terrain
The Dachhan–Marwah belt presents considerable operational challenges.
The region contains remote settlements, steep mountain slopes and extensive forest cover. Movement between villages and security installations can be difficult, particularly in areas with limited road access and inconsistent mobile connectivity.
These conditions complicate search operations because teams may have to cover large stretches of terrain while dealing with restricted communication and difficult movement.
Police and Army personnel are searching the surrounding areas to trace the missing officers and establish their last known movements.
The operation involves more than locating the personnel. Security agencies must also examine whether they lost their way, encountered an unforeseen situation, suffered an accident or came under attack.
The investigation will need to account for each possibility rather than assume a particular explanation.
Why Kishtwar remains a security-sensitive district
Kishtwar has remained an important focus of counter-insurgency operations in the Jammu region.
Its remote mountainous areas and extensive forests have historically created difficult conditions for security agencies attempting to track militant movement. The terrain can provide concealment and make surveillance and ground searches more complicated.
Security forces have conducted repeated operations in the district in recent years, targeting militants believed to be operating in forested areas.
The disappearance of two SOG personnel therefore carries an additional security dimension. Their unit’s operational responsibilities and their reported journey towards an Army post make it important for investigators to establish whether the incident was connected to their official duties.
The broader security environment, however, should not be used as proof of militant involvement in this particular case.
The circumstances surrounding the disappearance must be established through evidence from the scene, communication records, witness accounts and the ongoing search.
The importance of the missing officers’ weapons and equipment
Some media reports have stated that the two SPOs were carrying their service weapons when they went missing. This detail has not been consistently confirmed across the available reporting and should be treated cautiously until police provide an official account.
If confirmed, the status of their weapons and equipment will become an important part of the investigation.
Security agencies would need to establish whether the weapons are with the personnel, whether any equipment has been recovered and whether there are indications of a struggle or forced removal.
The answers could help investigators distinguish between an accidental disappearance, a communication or navigation problem and a possible security-related incident.
A wider concern for security deployments in remote areas
The incident also draws attention to the practical challenges faced by police and security personnel deployed in remote parts of Jammu and Kashmir.
Personnel travelling between camps and operational posts may have to negotiate long stretches of difficult terrain, often with limited communication facilities. In such areas, a missed reporting time or a sudden loss of mobile contact can quickly trigger a search response.
For security agencies, the immediate challenge is to maintain reliable communication, movement tracking and coordination between installations.
The disappearance also underlines why timely information from local residents can be valuable during search operations. People familiar with forest routes, village tracks and local movement patterns may help security teams identify locations requiring attention.
What remains unanswered?
Several questions remain central to the investigation:
- Where were the two SPOs last seen?
- Did they reach any intermediate point after leaving Kiyar camp?
- Were gunshots actually heard near their route, and can their timing be independently established?
- Was mobile connectivity disrupted across the area, or did the officers’ phones individually become inaccessible?
- Were the personnel carrying service weapons and other operational equipment?
- Is there any evidence of an encounter, abduction, accident or other incident?
The answers will determine whether the disappearance is connected to a security operation or arose from another set of circumstances.
Search operation continues as authorities establish the facts
The disappearance of Babi Chand and Rashpal Kumar has triggered a substantial security response in Kishtwar’s Dachhan–Marwah belt.
For now, the confirmed position is that the two SOG-attached SPOs failed to reach their assigned destination after leaving Kiyar camp, their phones subsequently became unreachable, and police and Army personnel launched a search operation.
Reports of gunfire have added to concern, but no confirmed account has established a militant attack or abduction.
The immediate priority remains locating both personnel safely. The outcome of the search, along with evidence gathered from the route and surrounding areas, will determine the next stage of the investigation.
Until authorities establish the circumstances, the incident should be treated as a serious disappearance under investigation rather than a confirmed militant attack.
