Anantnag Encounter: Body Of Missing Soldier Found After Six Days As Operation Continues

Two Army personnel died along with a Deputy Superintendent in the Anantnag encounter on Thursday. A soldier went missing on the same day and now, after six days, his body has been found.

Indian Army personnel on their way to flush out terrorists in Jammu Kashmir's Anantnag

Source : PTI

The body of a soldier who went missing during the Anantnag encounter on Wednesday was found on Monday at around 5 pm in Jammu and Kashmir. Colonel Manpreet Singh, Commanding Officer of 19 Rashtriya Rifles, Major Aashish Dhonchak and Deputy Superintendent of Police Himayun Muzamil Bhat lost their lives during a gunfight with terrorists in Anantnag on Wednesday. Sepoy Pradeep Singh (27 years old) was reported missing in that encounter following which his body was found yesterday, reported news agency ANI. 

Srinagar, J&K | Sepoy Pradeep Singh (27), who was missing since 13th September, was found dead at approximately 5 pm on 18th September. He was part of Kokernag ops.

— ANI (@ANI) September 19, 2023

Singh was with the Sikh Light Infantry and was a part of 19 Rashtriya Rifles. The 27-year-old soldier served in the Indian Army for seven years. He was from Patiala in Punjab and is survived by his wife, as per the Indian Express.

Meanwhile, the encounter has entered day seven.

#WATCH | J&K: Kokernag operation in Anantnag enters the seventh day.

An encounter broke out between security forces and terrorists in the forest area here on 13th September.

(Visuals deferred by unspecified time) pic.twitter.com/YgASxvBDmt

— ANI (@ANI) September 19, 2023

Burnt Corpse Found

Earlier on the sixth day of Anantnag operations, one burnt corpse was found which was believed to be of a militant. The body was sent for DNA testing and the results are awaited. As per sources, two more militants were believed to be in the region, reported news agency PTI. 

As per the authorities, drone footage revealed a burnt body lying near one of the hideouts that were demolished during the five-day anti-terror operation. The authorities said that any further information regarding it would be made public only after security officers sanitise the area.

Officials earlier stated that security forces are using drones and choppers to monitor the dense forest area which includes multiple cave-like hideouts where terrorists were believed to be huddled up since Wednesday.

Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha, speaking at a gathering on Sunday said that every drop of the blood of the martyrs will be avenged, and terrorist controllers will pay a high price for this incident.

Cross Border Infiltration Sees A Rise

The counter-terrorism operation in Jammu and Kashmir’s Anantnag district served as a major wake-up call for the nation’s security. There are concerns that cross-border infiltration is again on the rise with around 100 terrorists being active in the region, which includes both “foreign as well as local terrorists”, ABP LIVE has learnt.

Around 100 terrorists are presently active in the J&K region, of which 60 per cent are from Pakistan and around 40 per cent are locals. The Indian Army along with J&K Police is undertaking 'Proactive' ops to flush out the terrorists, top intel sources told ABP LIVE.