Abid Bashir
Srinagar (NVI): Security agencies in Kashmir have started a massive search operation to trace a missing Territorial Army soldier who was reportedly abducted by suspected terrorists and his vehicle was found burnt in South Kashmir’s Kulgam district late last night.
A senior police official told NVI that preliminary investigations suggest the TA soldier has been kidnapped by the militants, who also set his car on fire before taking him along.
The soldier identified as Muzzaffar Manzoor, a resident of Shopian district, was abducted at Rambhama area of south Kashmir’s Kulgam district. “Manzoor serves in the Territorial Army and his personal mobile was coming switched off continuously,” the police official said.
He said that a massive search operation has been launched to track down the missing soldier. The police official said all angles are being investigated and the list of active militants is also being examined to find out who is behind the act. “Some rumours are there that the soldier may have joined the militancy. But why would he set ablaze his own car. So we are investigating every angle and are hopeful of a breakthrough very soon,” he said.
Earlier, on July 15, suspected militants had abducted Mehrajudin Malla, a BJP leader and vice president of Municipal Committee in Sopore area of north Kashmir’s Baramulla district. His children had appealed all including militant outfits in a video message to release their father. On the same day, Malla reached home and police claimed that he was rescued by them. The police, however, didn’t elaborate how Malla was rescued.
-ARK
