Anantnag encounter: Missing soldier found dead as operation enters day 3

The joint operation by the Army and police was initiated on Wednesday to track down terrorists in the forested vicinity around Gadool village in Anantnag's Kokernag area.

In the ongoing encounter between security forces and terrorists in Jammu and Kashmir's Anantnag district, another soldier, previously reported as missing since Thursday, has tragically lost his life, marking a grim turn of events in the operation. The encounter, which commenced on Wednesday evening, has now entered its third day, with the Army deploying drones to pinpoint the precise location of the terrorists concealed in the forested terrain of the hilly district.

Security officials provided details of the soldier's tragic fate, stating, "One more soldier has lost his life in the Anantnag operations. He had been reported missing since yesterday. During joint security operations against terrorists in Anantnag area, forces dropped grenades on suspected terrorist hideout locations using drones."

A stringent security cordon continues to be maintained in the area as the operation against the terrorists intensifies.

The joint operation by the Army and police was initiated on Wednesday to track down terrorists in the forested vicinity around Gadool village in Anantnag's Kokernag area. The operation stemmed from a credible tip-off about the presence of two to three terrorists in the area, leading to their encirclement in Gadool.

Tragically, the fierce gunfight with the terrorists resulted in the loss of lives of Col Manpreet Singh and Maj Ashish Dhonchak of 19 Rashtriya Rifles, along with DSP Humayun Bhat of J&K Police, during the intervening night of Tuesday and Wednesday.

The mortal remains of Major Dhonchak, a recipient of the Sena Medal in 2023, arrived in Haryana's Panipat, where his last rites are scheduled to be conducted. Meanwhile, DSP Bhat, survived by his wife and a three-month-old son, received his final rites in Budgam on Wednesday evening.

Security forces have cordoned off the area, and the anti-terrorist operation continues unabated in the Kokernag area for over 48 hours, as they work diligently to neutralize the remaining threats.