Jammu and Kashmir: Army jawan goes missing from Kulgam, massive search ops launched

An army jawan has gone missing from his native Kulgam district of Jammu and Kashmir. The soldier was on leave and was supposed to join work on Sunday. But a day before returning to work, Javaid Ahmad Wani, a resident of Achathal area of Kulgam, went missing around 8 pm on Saturday. His car was found at Paranhall.

Wani's father has appealed to those who might have abducted the soldier to release him alive since he was the only breadwinner of the family. "I appeal to all the brothers to let him go alive," Mohammad Ayoub Wani told reporters as per the news agency PTI. "If he has troubled anyone, I apologise for that. If they want I will get him to quit his job as well."

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 did not confirm it. The police have conducted raids across Kulgam district and adjoining areas to rescue the soldier.

India Today reported that the Kashmir police have registered a case and arrested some suspects to track down the missing soldier. A massive search operation has been launched by the Indian Army and police to trace the abducted jawan.

Last evening, Javed had driven his car to Chowalgam to purchase grocery items. When he did not return, his family members started searching for him in nearby areas and in surrounding villages. During the search operation, a pair of his slippers and blood stains were found in his car in Paranhal village.

(With inputs from PTI)