The Army has lost communication with two soldiers, who were on a combing operation in south Kashmir. A massive search operation has been launched to trace them.Officials believe may have lost contact due to the inclement weather that prevailed over the last two days.Helicopters have been pressed into service to assist ground troops in the search efforts.
“The operation is ongoing, with Army and security personnel combing the forests to locate the troopers,” sources said adding that
the duo might have strayed from their team because of poor visibility and difficult terrain caused by recent snowfall."Sources said the two are part of the Army’s elite para unit and went missing from south Kashmir on Tuesday night.They said that the paratroopers were part of a combing operation in the Gadool forests of Kokernag in Anantnag district. “It is a dense forest with deep gorges and steep slopes,” said a source.
A massive search operation launched by joint security forces, including multiple units of the Army and Jammu and Kashmir Police
is underway.To trace them, large contingents of the army are combing "every inch" of this dense forest, The Gadole forest area is known for its difficult terrain, including deep gorges and steep slopes.The duo reportedly went missing on the evening of October 6 during an operation in the forested region, which lies between Kishtwar and Anantnag.
It has also been a hotspot for militant activity in the past, with Jaish-e-Mohammed and Lashkar-e-Taiba having established bases there.The area witnessed heavy snowfall on Monday evening, which could further complicate the search efforts.However, as of now ,immediate terror involvement in the matter has been ruled out by the authorities. The assessment of security experts is that the jawans may have strayed in the dense forests during an ongoing combing operation in the area.
In 2023, several security personnel, including Army Colonel Manpreet Singh, Major Ashish Donchak, and Deputy Superintendent of Police (DSP) Humayun Muzamil, were killed in a gunfight in the same forests.