J&K Police traces missing soldier

A territorial soldier, who went missing, was traced by Jammu and Kashmir Police on Sunday, officials said.

“A soldier from the Territorial Army, who had gone missing while travelling from home in Chattergul village of Anantnag district to Rangreth Srinagar to join duty after a month's leave was traced by the police on Sunday,” an official said.

He added that the soldier, Abid Hussain Bhat son of Abdul Gani of Kharpora Chittergul Anantnag Uttersoo was supposed to join duty on February 1 at Rangreth Srinagar.

He said that however, he did not report to his place of duty and his mobile phone was also switched off.

“This evening he was traced by police and is being questioned. There was no militancy angle to the entire episode,” officials said.

Apprehensions had risen after the disappearance of the soldier between his village and place of duty because in the past some army soldiers were abducted by terrorists in south Kashmir areas, who were later found dead.

The tracing of territorial army soldier, Abid Hussain Bhat has put all those apprehensions to rest.

In the past, some soldiers on leave have been abducted by militants and later some of them were also killed.

On October 9, 2024, the bullet-ridden body of a Territorial Army (TA) soldier, who had been abducted by terrorists in Anantnag, was found by security forces. This incident marked the latest in a series of abductions involving soldiers in Kashmir.

Earlier, in August 2023, a soldier went missing from his home in Kulgam district while on leave but was later found by the police.

In 2019, another soldier, Yasin Bhat, narrowly escaped a kidnapping attempt at his home in Qazipora, Budgam.

Over the past nine years, more than five soldiers have been abducted and killed in various parts of Kashmir, with the majority of incidents occurring in the Shopian and Kulgam districts of south Kashmir.