New Delhi: Two para commandos of the Indian Army went missing on Tuesday night during a combing operation in the dense forests of Gadool in South Kashmir’s Anantnag district. The soldiers were part of an ongoing anti-terror drive, conducting a cordon-and-search operation when contact with them was lost amid heavy rainfall.
Following the incident, the Army launched a large-scale search and rescue operation involving helicopters, ground troops, and support from local communities. Senior security officials confirmed that members of the Gujjar and Bakarwal communities have been assisting in the search efforts to help locate the missing jawans.
The soldiers had entered the area based on specific intelligence inputs but did not return to base. Officials noted that adverse weather conditions could have contributed to the situation. Ground operations continue alongside aerial surveillance to trace the commandos.
Gadool has been a focal point for multiple counter-terror operations in the past, and security forces maintain a strong presence in the region due to frequent militant activity. Authorities have so far refrained from providing further details as the search operation is ongoing.
The Army’s immediate priority remains locating the missing jawans and ensuring their safe return, highlighting the challenging conditions faced by security personnel in South Kashmir’s forested and difficult terrain.
