A retired Indian Navy officer and veteran of the 1971 war, Navin Chandra Upadhyay, aged 85, has been missing for over 40 days, prompting widespread concern across northern India. Upadhyay was last seen on June 11 while en route from Palampur in Himachal Pradesh to Delhi. His disappearance has raised alarms not only within his family but also among broader communities in the region.
Recent investigations have confirmed that Upadhyay arrived in Chandigarh, where CCTV footage captured him at both the Sector-43 and Sector-17 bus stands. He was last observed boarding a bus headed to Delhi; however, he never reached his intended destination. Witnesses reported seeing him around the Singhpura bus stand in Zirakpur, suggesting that he might have been deboarded there.
The search for Upadhyay has been complicated by the fact that he was not carrying a mobile phone, money, or any identification documents at the time of his disappearance. His daughter, Monica Sharma, a retired Lieutenant Colonel, has been spearheading the search efforts, traveling through Punjab and Haryana in hopes of finding her father. Despite persistent searches in Chandigarh, Ambala, Zirakpur, and Karnal, there have been no confirmed sightings that could lead to his whereabouts.
Frustrated by the limited progress made by local authorities, Monica took further action by escalating the case to the Haryana Director General of Police. This has resulted in the State Crime Branch taking over the investigation. Officer Rajesh Kumar has indicated that photographs of Upadhyay have been distributed to police stations and old-age homes throughout the region to aid in the search.
In a bid to gather public support, authorities have made a public appeal, urging anyone who may have information or who spots an elderly man appearing disoriented to reach out to the nearest police station or call the emergency number 112. The family remains optimistic about Upadhyay’s safe return, continuing their efforts to locate him amid growing fears for his well-being.
