Poonch Gunfight: Toll nine as bodies of two missing soldiers retrieved

RAJOURI — The bodies of two missing soldiers were recovered at Bhata-Dhurian in Mendhar sub-division of Poonch district of Jammu and Kashmir on Saturday, taking the toll to nine while the operation entered into the sixth day.

A Defence spokesman said that the bodies of two missing soldiers were recovered. “Subedar Ajay Singh and Naik Harendra Singh were killed in action during search operations being conducted by the Army along with J&K Police in the densely forest area of Nar Khas forest in Mendhar, district Poonch,” he said.

“Subedar Ajay Singh and Naik Harendra Singh were part of search operations launched by the security forces to flush out militants hiding in the forest area,” he added.

On October 14, after a fierce firefight with militants, the communication with Subedar Ajay Singh and Naik Harendra Singh was disrupted, the spokesman said, adding that the relentless operations continued to neutralize the militants and to re-establish communication with the soldiers.

“The bodies of two missing soldiers were recovered on October 16 evening,” the spokesman said.

He further informed, “The operation in the area continues with intermittent firing on both sides.”

Meanwhile, the Jammu-Poonch-Rajouri national highway remained closed from Bhimber Gali to Surankote with hundreds of vehicles stranded on the highway.