ANANTNAG, OCT 09: An Indian Army soldier, Hilal Ahmed Bhat, was found dead with gunshot wounds after being abducted by terrorists during an anti-terror operation in the Anantnag district of Jammu and Kashmir. Another soldier involved in the operation managed to escape despite sustaining injuries.
On Tuesday, two soldiers from the 161 unit of the Territorial Army were kidnapped while participating in a joint anti-terror operation launched by the Indian Army and Jammu and Kashmir Police in the forested area of Kazwan, Anantnag. While one soldier managed to escape despite being shot twice, Hilal Ahmed Bhat’s body was recovered later in the Pathribal forest, showing signs of bullet injuries.
The injured soldier was swiftly moved to a medical facility for treatment, and according to reports, his condition is stable. The abduction and death of the soldier have sent shockwaves across the region, as it occurred just a day after the results of the Jammu and Kashmir Assembly elections were announced.
In a statement posted on X (formerly Twitter), the Indian Army’s Chinar Corps based in Srinagar confirmed the operation and the unfortunate events. “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.”
Search operations in the area are ongoing as security forces hunt for the terrorists responsible for the abduction and killing of the soldier.
Pakistani Intruder Arrested in Jammu
In a separate incident, a Pakistani intruder was arrested by Border Security Force (BSF) personnel along the International Border in Jammu on Tuesday evening. The intruder, identified as 31-year-old Shahid Imran, a resident of Sargodha in Pakistan’s Punjab province, was apprehended in the Makwal area after illegally crossing into Indian territory.
Upon his arrest, authorities recovered knives, a smartwatch, an empty SIM card holder, a cigarette packet, and a five-rupee Pakistani coin from him. Further investigations are underway to determine the intent of his incursion into Indian territory. – (BS)
