Written by Manish SahuLucknow | December 30, 2025 06:10 AM IST 3 min readSachin Ponia, a 24-year-old Agniveer from Hathras in Uttar Pradesh went missing four months ago.Authorities in Uttarkashi district of Uttarakhand have decided to issue a communication to the family of Sachin Ponia, a 24-year-old Agniveer from Uttar Pradesh’s Hathras who went missing during the flash floods in the neighbouring state in August 2025, inviting their concerns and objections to the administration’s decision to declare the Army jawan dead.Ponia, who was attached with the 14th Battalion of the Rajputana Rifles, was deployed in Uttarkashi when flash floods struck the area on August 5.The decision follows a report published in The Indian Express, in which Ponia’s family claimed that he was declared dead without any conclusive evidence. The Hathras district administration had invited objections from the general public regarding the Agniveer’s death upon getting a communication from their Uttarkashi counterparts.Following a letter from the Matwadi Sub-Divisional Magistrate (SDM) in Uttarkashi declaring Ponia “dead on a final (provisional) basis under the presumption of death,” the Hathras district administration had issued a proclamation order inviting objections from the general public.The order stated that if any person has objections to declaring Ponia dead, they may submit their objections within 30 days at the SDM’s office.Talking to The Indian Express, Matwadi SDM Shalini Negi said the Uttarkashi police filed a closure (final) report after investigating the matter, stating that Ponia and the other missing personnel could not be traced despite extensive efforts.A magisterial inquiry into the incident had also been conducted, she added.Story continues below this ad“After considering the evidence collected during the police investigation, the magisterial inquiry conducted by me, the Hathras SDM’s report, and the affidavit submitted by Sachin Ponia’s mother, we declared the Agniveer provisionally dead in accordance with the standard operating procedure issued by the Centre and the state government,” Negi said, adding the Hathras SDM had also conducted an inquiry into the matter.Although the Hathras SDM’s report, issued to invite objections, is still awaited, she has decided to issue a fresh notice to Ponia’s family, she said.“We will be treating the concerns raised in The Indian Express report as an objection raised by the family,” she said.Sachin’s father, Chandraveer Singh, a farmer, said his son, along with several others, including Army personnel, has been missing since August. “Despite there being no proof that Sachin is no longer alive, he has been declared dead after what appears to be only a brief inquiry,” he said.Story continues below this adHe said the family continues to hope for Sachin’s safe return. “The Hathras district administration has informed us that the Uttarakhand government has now declared him deceased and has issued a proclamation inviting objections. We have been given 30 days, and after discussing the matter within the family, we will decide our next course of action,” Chandraveer Singh said.Stay updated with the latest - Click here to follow us on Instagram© The Indian Express Pvt LtdTags:Uttar PradeshUttarkashi