Srinagar, Sept 18: In the ongoing anti-terrorist operation within the dense forests of Gadole Kokernag, security forces have made significant recoveries. Joint teams of the Army and Police have retrieved two additional bodies, one of which has been identified as that of a missing Army personnel, Pradeep Singh, who had been missing since the encounter on September 13.
A senior Army officer confirmed the recovery, stating that Pradeep Singh’s body is being transported to Srinagar for the necessary legal and medical procedures. The second recovered body is believed to be that of another terrorist, though identification is pending confirmation. Following legal formalities, a DNA test will be conducted to ascertain the individual’s identity.
With this, the total count of bodies recovered from the encounter site reaches seven. Among them are Colonel Manpreet Singh, Commanding Officer of 19 RR, Major Ashish Dhonchak, Deputy Superintendent of Jammu and Kashmir Police Humayun Bhat, and an Army soldier who succumbed to injuries in the hospital.
The exchange of fire between security forces and terrorists has ceased on both sides. However, an intense anti-terror operation is actively ongoing, with security forces using drone surveillance and firing mortar shells in the rugged terrain where the terrorists are suspected to be hiding. In a precautionary measure, the security cordon has been expanded to include the neighbouring Posh Kreeri area to prevent terrorists from infiltrating civilian areas.
SSP Kishtwar, Khalil Poswal, issued an alert in Kishtwar in light of the Kokernag encounter, with security forces dominating the high reaches of the region.
The recovery of an unidentified charred body on Sunday adds to the complexity of the ongoing operation, as authorities work to determine the identity of the deceased.
Top officials from the security grid in Kashmir, including the Director General of Police GP, and the General Officer Commanding (GOC) of the Army’s 15 Corps, have been closely monitoring the operation. The Northern Army commander visited the encounter site on Saturday to assess the operational situation.
The police estimate that two to three terrorists are currently trapped within the forest area. Additional Director General of Police (Kashmir) Vijay Kumar expressed confidence that the trapped terrorists would be neutralized soon.
It is worth noting that the encounter, which broke out between security forces and terrorists on September 13, claimed the lives of Colonel Manpreet Singh, Major Ashish Dhonchak, Deputy Superintendent of Jammu and Kashmir Police Humayun Bhat, and a soldier.
