Srinagar, Oct 9: An Indian Army soldier, Hilal Ahmad Bhat, was found dead with gunshot wounds after being kidnapped by terrorists in Anantnag district, Jammu and Kashmir, according to sources on Wednesday.
The incident occurred during a joint anti-terror operation conducted by the Army and Jammu and Kashmir Police on October 8 in the Kazwan Forest area of Kokernag.
Two soldiers from the Territorial Army’s 161 unit were abducted by militants during the operation. One of the soldiers managed to escape despite being shot twice and is currently receiving treatment at a hospital, where his condition is reported as stable.
A large-scale search operation was launched to find the missing soldier, and Bhat’s bullet-ridden body was recovered from the Pathribal forest area. The incident followed the announcement of Jammu and Kashmir Assembly election results, further escalating tension in the region.
The Indian Army’s Srinagar based Chinar Corps confirmed the joint operation in a post on X, “Based on intelligence input, a joint counter-terrorist operation was launched by the Indian Army along with Jammu and Kashmir Police and other agencies in Kazwan Forest in Kokernag on October 8. The operation continued overnight as one soldier of the Territorial Army was reported missing.”
