Body of missing soldier found in J-K forest

SRINAGAR: Security forces found two bodies, including that of a soldier who went missing, from the Gadole forest area in Jammu and Kashmir’s Anantnag district on the sixth day of an anti-terror operation on Monday even as Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha vowed to avenge the death of three officers and a soldier, who were killed by terrorists in an encounter.

Of the two bodies found from the forest area, one was identified as Pradeep, the soldier killed by the terrorists on Wednesday, sources said. The identity of the other deceased is being ascertained.

Colonel Manpreet Singh, Commanding Officer, 19 Rashtriya Rifles, Major Ashish Dhonchak and Deputy Superintendent of Jammu and Kashmir Police Humayun Bhat were killed by the terrorists on Wednesday. Pradeep went missing on the first day of the encounter and was believed to have been killed.

However, police have maintained silence on the operation for the last three days.

Earlier, officials said drone footage showed a charred body near one of the terrorist hideouts destroyed during the operation over the last six days. Any further information about it could be made available only after the security forces sanitised the area, they said. Drones and helicopters are being used to surveil the dense forest area with several cave-like hideouts where the terrorists are believed to be holed up.