In a deeply concerning development, the Indian Army has lost communication with two soldiers of its elite Para (special forces) unit, who disappeared from a combing operation in South Kashmir on Tuesday night.
What is Known: The Missing Operation
According to security sources, the two paratroopers were operating in the Gadool (also spelled “Gadole”) forests of Kokernag, in Anantnag district — a heavily wooded, rugged terrain characterized by deep gorges and steep slopes.
The area recently witnessed substantial snowfall (on Monday evening), which would have significantly degraded visibility, made paths slippery or blocked, and hampered movement. In the past, this forest has been a site of militant presence and operations.
In 2023, senior security personnel — Colonel Manpreet Singh, Major Ashish Dhonchak, and DSP Humayun Muzamil — lost their lives in a gunfight in the same Gadool forest region.
Militants belonging to Jaish-e-Mohammed and Lashkar-e-Taiba are alleged to have maintained a presence or bases in these forests earlier. To trace the missing troopers, large contingents of the Army and security forces have been deployed.
They are said to be combing “every inch” of the forest, supported by aerial reconnaissance, helicopters, and ground search teams. Some officials caution that bad weather, snowfall, and the difficult terrain may have disrupted communication lines or caused the soldiers to stray off course.
What Is Not Yet Known — and Reasonable Speculations
Because official statements and media reports do not yet confirm certain operational details, the following is based on how such missions are usually planned — with caution, because they remain hypothetical until verified:
Nature of Mission: Combing vs. Patrolling / Screening
The missing soldiers were reportedly part of a combing operation (i.e, systematically sweeping the area to detect militants or caches) rather than a routine patrol.
A combing operation might involve searching layers of forest, ridges, gullies, and possible hideouts, often in coordination with other security elements.
It is possible that they were simultaneously “screening” or securing routes, flanks, or checking for escape paths, but sources do not confirm that.
How Long Were They Expected Out / Resupply Provisions
Standard special operations in such terrain are typically planned for a limited duration, often a few hours to perhaps one shift (6–12 hours), depending on risk, distance, and logistics.
Troops generally carry ration packs, water, high-energy bars, meals ready-to-eat (MREs), or equivalent field rations sufficient for the expected time plus contingency buffer.
They are also likely to carry extra cold-weather supplies (thermal clothing, warming packs) and emergency gear (compass, GPS, radios, first-aid kits).In severe weather (fresh snowfall, cold), they might need higher calories and more water/fluids. If the mission was extended beyond the planned time, their resources could deplete.
Possible Reasons for Communication Loss / Going Missing
Terrain / Topography & Visibility: In dense forest with steep slopes, radio signals can get blocked by rock, hillsides, or canopy. Snow, fog, or cloud cover further degrades the line-of-sight.
Traying or Disorientation: In white-out or after fresh snowfall, paths may be obscured; if the soldiers deviated from the planned route chasing leads or in search of militants, they may have lost their bearings. Injuries or Medical Emergency:
A fall, slip, avalanche, or injury could have immobilized one or both, making them unable to rejoin or communicate. Malfunction or Damage of Equipment:
Their radio or comms gear might have failed, battery drained, or been damaged by weather. Encounter with Hostile Forces: While nothing is confirmed, it cannot be ruled out that militants engaged them in somannerner though authorities have not publicly confirmed this as of yet.
Duration / Risk Margin
If their mission extended beyond dusk (or into the night) in such terrain, the risks multiply: navigation errors, exposure to cold, exhaustion, or injuries. If they were out longer than scheduled, their food, water, and warm clothing reserves might not suffice.
Revised Narrative
Late on Tuesday night, two soldiers from the elite 5 PARA (Special Forces) unit went missing during a combing mission in the snow-dust forests of Gadool, Kokernag, Anantnag.
Their last known location was deep within dense forest laced with steep slopes, narrow gorges, and thick undergrowth — terrain that severely challenges both movement and communication.
The operation started under the assumption that intelligence inputs warranted a sweep of suspected militant hideouts or infiltration routes in the area.
The missing troopers were likely carrying standard mission rations, water, cold-weather provisions, navigation and communication gear — enough for the planned duration of the operation, with some emergency buffer.
But given the fresh snowfall and deteriorating visibility from Monday night, the risk envelope would have increased substantially.
Reports from sources suggest that the snowfall may have concealed tracks, obscured familiar landmarks, or blocked natural traversable routes.
If the soldiers deviated from their planned path (e.g., chasing a lead or responding to suspected movement), they may have wandered off course and lost contact.
Meanwhile, the heavy canopy and rugged relief could have blocked their radio signals, even as aerial search and ground teams scour the forest floor below.
Search efforts have been intensified: multiple army units and police forces are sweeping every valley, ridge, and gully, deploying helicopters and aerial assets to spot signs of movement or silhouette gaps in the snowfall. Teams are proceeding with caution as they navigate treacherous slopes and fresh snow drifts.
As of now, no confirmed sign has emerged — neither contact, nor direct evidence of a hostile engagement. Whether the soldiers are injured, lost, disoriented, or involved with militants remains unknown.
The search continues under extremely demanding winter conditions, with each passing hour making rescue harder but no less urgent.
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