Will locate missing Army jawan, got clues: J&K DGP

PTI

Srinagar, August 1

Jammu and Kashmir's top cop on Tuesday said the police and security forces have got clues about the missing Army jawan in Kulgam district and expressed confidence that the soldier will be located.

“Few days back, an army jawan, who was on leave, has been reported missing. Police and security forces are carrying out operations and, in view of the clues that are with us, we will be able to locate him,” DGP Dilbag Singh told reporters here.

Meanwhile, the search operations to trace soldier Javaid Ahmad Wani entered the third day on Tuesday as investigating teams questioned more suspects in connection with the alleged abduction case.

The soldier, posted in the Ladakh region, was supposed to join work on Sunday but went missing on Saturday evening. His car was found abandoned at Paranhall.

Wani's father has appealed to those who might have abducted his son to release him alive since he was the only breadwinner of the family.

"I appeal to all the brothers to let him go alive. If he has troubled anyone, I apologise for that. If they want I will get him to quit his job as well," Mohammad Ayoub Wani told reporters on Sunday.

Wani said his son had gone out to buy meat on Saturday evening as he was to go back to his place of posting on Sunday.

"He told his brother to drop him at the airport tomorrow (Sunday). Sometime later, we got a call that his car was found abandoned with its doors ajar," the father said.

Eyewitnesses claim that there were blood marks in the car but officials have not confirmed or denied it.

Although it is not clear yet if the missing jawan has been abducted by terrorists, he is the fourth soldier to go missing in Kashmir while on leave.

In May 2017, the ultras kidnapped Lieutenant Umer Fayyaz from his uncle's house in Shopian district where he had gone to attend a wedding. The young officer was shot dead and his body was found the next morning.

An army soldier, Aurangzeb, was kidnapped by militants while he was on his way home to Poonch from Pulwama district in June 2018. He was later shot dead and the video of his execution was circulated by the ultras.

Another jawan, Sameer Malla was abducted by terrorists in March 2022 and found dead three days later in Budgam district.

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