Authorities recovered the body of a Territorial Army (TA) soldier on Wednesday in the Anantnag district of Jammu and Kashmir, after he was abducted by terrorists. The soldier had gone missing from the Shangus area during an anti-terror operation.
Officials confirmed that the soldier’s body was located in a forest area of Kokernag tehsil, where two TA soldiers had disappeared on Tuesday. One of the soldiers managed to escape from the abductors despite sustaining injuries. He was promptly taken to a medical facility, where he is now reported to be in stable condition.
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Terrorists have increasingly targeted soldiers on leave and those engaged in anti-terrorist operations in Jammu and Kashmir, as many are locals familiar with the region’s terrain. This trend poses significant risks to security personnel operating in the area.
The recent tragedy recalls previous attacks on TA soldiers and their families. In April 2024, terrorists shot and killed the brother of a TA soldier in Kunda village, Rajouri district. Mohammad Razak, 40, a government employee in the social welfare department, suffered critical injuries and died en route to a nearby hospital.
Earlier incidents also highlight this alarming trend. On June 6, 2019, terrorists shot TA soldier Manzoor Ahmad Baig in Sadoora village, Anantnag district. He succumbed to his injuries shortly after being taken to the district hospital. Baig was serving in the nearby Shopian district with the 34 Battalion of the Rashtriya Rifles.
Additionally, on November 25, 2017, terrorists abducted and killed 23-year-old TA soldier Irfan Ahmad Mir. They left his bullet-riddled body in an orchard in Watmullah Keegam village, Shopian district, the following day. Mir lived in Sezan Keegam.