Search teams formed to trace missing Champawat SDM Anil Chanyal

Champawat: The police, special operations group and the State Disaster Response Force have been tasked with tracing Champawat Sub-Divisional Magistrate Anil Chanyal who has gone missing, an official said on Tuesday.

A missing person's report has been lodged at Champawat Kotwali police station in connection with Chanyal's disappearance and three teams have already begun search operations, Champawat Superintendent of Police (SP) Devendra Pincha said.

Chanyal was reported missing by Ramesh Ram, a homeguard in his security detail. In his report at the Kotwali police station, Ram said the official had asked him and the driver of his official vehicle to leave on Saturday evening and report for duty on Monday morning.

When Ram reached the sub-divisional magistrate's (SDM) residence on Monday, he found the door locked and Chanyal's mobile switched off. He then informed the administration.

When the door of the official's residence was broken in the presence of the police, everything inside was found to be normal but the official's phone was lying on the table along with a note saying that it should be deposited at the District Magistrate's office.

The homeguard then lodged a missing report.

Taking cognisance of the matter, Kumaon Divisional Commissioner Deepak Rawat instructed Champawat District Magistrate Narendra Bhandari to conduct a search operation for the missing official. Sources said Chanyal had been stressed for some time and wanted to go on leave.

However, Uttarakhand has placed a ban on officials taking leave at present due to the state's vulnerability to natural disasters during monsoon. Chanyal hails from Gangolihat in Pithoragarh district.

He had been living in Haldwani with his family for the last few years.

The police also contacted his family members and relatives but could not find any clues on his whereabouts, Pincha said.