Missing paratrooper’s body recovered

Srinagar, Oct 9: The body of a missing Army paratrooper was recovered on Thursday, three days after he went missing during a high-altitude anti-terror operation that was disrupted by extreme weather conditions, including a suspected avalanche or snowstorm.

“The soldier’s body has been found with his rucksack and service weapon,” Inspector General of Police, Vidhi Kumar Birdi, told Greater Kashmir. “The search for the second paratrooper is underway.”

The soldiers went missing during an intensive operation on October 6, which continued into October 7, amid deteriorating weather in the treacherous upper reaches of the Pir Panjal mountain range.

The second paratrooper, who was part of the same special operations team, remains missing. Search and rescue operations are ongoing, though they are being significantly hindered by thick snow cover, unstable terrain, and continuing bad weather, officials of the Army said.

The operation was part of the Army’s intensified counter-terror efforts in south Kashmir ahead of the winter freeze, which typically sees infiltration routes along the Line of Control (LoC) become impassable.

The deployment of elite paratroopers in such operations is a testament to the intensity and sensitivity of the mission.

Officials believe that a sudden snowstorm or an avalanche may have caught the soldiers off guard while they were advancing through the high-altitude terrain.

The adverse conditions not only delayed reinforcements and communication but have now become a major hurdle for rescue teams attempting to reach remote zones where soldiers may be trapped or injured.