The J&K governor, Manoj Sinha, and other senior Indian Army and police officers paying tribute to Rifleman Hilal Ahmad Bhat. (Photo: X/@Hardisohi)
Jammu: Two Territorial Army soldiers were captured by militants during a counterinsurgency operation in Jammu & Kashmir’s Anantnag district on Tuesday. One of the soldiers managed to escape despite being injured, while the other was reported missing. However, his bullet-ridden body was found on Wednesday after the incident prompted a massive search operation by the Indian Army and security forces.
This came on a day when the nation was marking the 76th raising day of the Territorial Army.
According to sources in the J&K administration, the soldiers were captured in the dense Kazwan forest in the Shangus area of Kokernag, Anantnag. The soldiers, both part of the 161 unit of the Territorial Army, were captured while participating in a joint operation with the Army and Jammu & Kashmir Police.
It was an intelligence-based operation, which was launched to tackle militants reported to be in the region, which has seen a surge in violence in recent months.
One of the soldiers managed to escape despite sustaining bullet injuries. He was found and rushed to a nearby hospital, where he is currently in stable condition.
The other soldier, identified as Rifleman Hilal Ahmad Bhat, however, was not as fortunate. His body was discovered in the Patribal forest region, a day after his capture. According to the sources, the escaped soldier, though injured, was able to provide critical information that helped the security forces to intensify the search, which culminated in finding Bhat’s body deep within the forested area.
wreath laying ceremony was held to pay homage to Territorial Army soldier Hilal Ahmad Bhat who was kidnapped by unidentified militants yesterday and hsi bullet ridden body was found at Anantnag on Wednesday. pic.twitter.com/dZwpkv6i22
— Shah Junaid (شاہ جنید) (@shahjunaid_) October 9, 2024
Initial investigations revealed multiple gunshot wounds on Rfn Bhat’s body, which indicated the brutal nature of the attack on him during captivity. Rfn Bhat was a local Kashmiri. His death has been widely mourned. The Jammu & Kashmir governor, Manoj Sinha, laid a wreath in his coffin and paid tributes to him along with other senior Army and police officers.
The Army along with the J&K Police has intensified the operation to hunt for Bhat’s killers.
