Srinagar, October 9, 2025 – The body of one of the two soldiers who went missing in the snowbound forests of Kashmir's Anantnag district has been recovered on Thursday. The soldier went missing earlier this week during a combing operation in the Kokernag area. Search operations are ongoing to locate the second missing soldier.

Officials reported that the body was found in the Gadole forests of Kokernag. A preliminary examination suggests the soldier may have died of hypothermia, as temperatures in the area plummeted following heavy snowfall. The identity of the deceased has not yet been officially revealed. The soldier was found with his rucksack and weapon.

The two soldiers, both commandos from an elite Para unit, went missing on Tuesday during a search operation in the Ahlan Gadole area of Kokernag. The operation was launched following intelligence inputs about the presence of militants in the area. Reports indicate that the soldiers lost contact after their communication line failed.

Adverse weather conditions, dense vegetation, and rough terrain are hindering search efforts for the second soldier. Helicopters were deployed for aerial reconnaissance, but poor visibility has slowed progress. Hundreds of Army troops, CRPF, and J&K Police personnel, assisted by sniffer dogs, are involved in the search.

The Army's Srinagar-based Chinar Corps confirmed that the operational team encountered a severe snowstorm and whiteout conditions in the mountains of South Kashmir on the night of October 6. In a post on X, the Chinar Corps stated that intense search and rescue operations were launched but hampered by the adverse weather.

The Gadol forest area, where the soldiers went missing, has a history of militant activity. In 2023, an Army Colonel, a Major, and a Deputy Superintendent of Police were killed in a gunfight in the same forests. Security forces are continuing the search operation to locate the missing soldier and ensure there is no militant presence in the area.