Anantnag operation: The body of an army personnel, who had been missing since a gunfight erupted on September 13 in the Gadole area of Anantnag district of Jammu and Kashmir, was recovered on Monday. With this, the death toll of security forces killed during the ongoing operation rose to four.
The body of Sepoy Pradeep Singh (27), was recovered from the Kokernag encounter site at approximately 5 pm on September 18. The 27-year-old soldier, with seven years of service in the Army, was from Punjab’s Patiala. He is survived by his wife Seema Rani.
Pradeep Singh went missing on September 13
Singh was reported missing since September 13, when the three security personnel Colonel Manpreet Singh, Commanding Officer of 19 Rashtriya Rifles, Major Aashish Dhonchak and Deputy Superintendent of Police Himayun Muzamil Bhat were killed by the terrorists during a search operation.
Notably, the body of the missing soldier killed on the first day was recovered along with a charred body. The security forces recovered the charred body of a terrorist from the Kokernag area, which could be of a terrorist. However, the identity of the charred body has not been identified yet security forces likely go for his DNA test for his identification.
Operation enters seventh day
The search operation restarted in the area on Tuesday morning as it enters its seventh day. According to sources, the search and firing operations are ongoing in pursuit of the surviving terrorists, and it is believed that there may be two in number.
The encounter with terrorists in Jammu and Kashmir’s Anantnag district is ongoing as the search for two hiding militants continues in the Kokernag area. The security forces have cordoned off the entire region and are tracking each and every movement of the two terrorists who are yet to be neutralised. Top police officials said that terrorists have been encircled at one area near the natural cave-turned-hideout.
The security forces are using drones and helicopters for surveillance of the dense forest area with several cave-like hideouts where the terrorists are believed to be holed up.
