The search for two missing elite para commandos continued on Thursday in the dense Gadool forests of South Kashmir’s Anantnag district after they lost contact with their team during a search operation, officials said.
The Army has pressed helicopters and Heptor drones into service to trace out the missing commandos. However, the thick foliage and rugged terrain are making the operation difficult for the searching troops, they added.
Earlier on Wednesday, the Army launched a search operation in the Gadool forest area of South Kashmir after two of its paratroopers went missing during a counter-terrorism operation on Tuesday night.
The area is known for its rugged terrain, dense forest cover, steep slopes, deep gorges, and thick foliage, which severely restrict troop visibility and movement.
A senior official familiar with the area’s topography said, “It is one of the most challenging terrains to operate in. A slight misstep can have serious consequences.”
The operation has been further complicated by fresh snowfall on Monday evening, which has reduced ground visibility even further.
Officials said despite these immense challenges, search teams have been deployed to comb every inch of the forest to trace the missing soldiers. The forest area is not unfamiliar to security forces, though it has remained under radar for suspected hostile activities.
Meanwhile, Valley-based Chinar Corps shared on X, “#IndianArmyOperationUpdate. On the intervening night of 6 and 7 October, an operational team on the Kishtwar range confronted a severe snowstorm and whiteout conditions in the mountains of South Kashmir. Since then, two soldiers have gone out of communication. Intense Search and Rescue operations have been launched but hampered due to prevailing adverse weather conditions. #Kashmir @adgpi @NorthernComd_IA”
In 2023, Colonel Manpreet Singh, Major Ashish Donchak, and Deputy Superintendent of Police Humayun Muzamil were killed during an encounter with terrorists in the same area.
Meanwhile, Valley-based Chinar Corps said on X, “#IndianArmyOperationUpdate. On the intervening night of October 6 and 7, an operational team on the Kishtwar range confronted a severe snowstorm and whiteout conditions in the mountains of South Kashmir.”
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