Samaan Lateef

Srinagar, September 18

Two bodies, including that of a missing soldier, were recovered from the Gadool forest in Kokernag area of Anantnag district, an Army officer said on Monday. Army man Pradeep Kumar had gone missing during an initial gunfight with militants in Hallpora village on Wednesday. The bodies were found at 11:30 am. Kumar was accompanying martyred Major Aashish Dhonchak during the encounter. In the subsequent days, the Army launched an operation to eliminate the militants as well as to trace the missing soldier.

The area was subjected to intensive bombardment with grenades and high-powered shells to clear it from militants besides recovering Kumar’s body. The body is being transported back, the officer said.The operation, which extended into its sixth consecutive day, witnessed persistent efforts from soldiers as they continued to shell the militants’ hideout and conducted extensive searches in the vicinity of the encounter site.

The ill-fated operation was initiated late on Tuesday evening based on intelligence inputs indicating the presence of militants in a concealed forest hideout. However, the militants swiftly detected the presence of the joint team of the Army and the police on Wednesday morning. It led to a barrage of gunfire from the militants’ assault rifles, causing chaos and hindering evacuation efforts.

Tragically, officers found themselves stranded in the line of fire. During the initial exchange of fire, Colonel Manpreet Singh lost his life, while Major Ashish Dhonak and DSP Himayun Muzammil Bhat sustained injuries but later succumbed The Army had said that two soldiers were also injured during the encounter.

Terrorist opens fire on CRPF vehicle

A militant opened fire on a moving bullet-proof CRPF vehicle in Khanyar, Srinagar, on Monday evening. No one was injured. The terrorist fled after opening fire.

(With inputs)