Rajouri, March 10, KNT: The body of an Indian Army soldier who had gone missing during a river crossing training exercise was recovered on Tuesday from a stream in Rajouri district of Jammu and Kashmir, officials said.
The soldier, identified as Sepoy Akshit Sharma, had reportedly gone missing on Monday afternoon during a training exercise in the general area of Sundarbani in Rajouri district.
Officials said the body was retrieved from the Manawar stream by a joint search team comprising the Army, the National Disaster Response Force and local rescuers in the Khour area on Tuesday morning.
According to officials, the soldier went missing around 12 pm on Monday while participating in a river crossing drill as part of routine military training in the region.
The incident prompted a large-scale search and rescue operation involving Army teams, disaster response personnel and local volunteers, who conducted intensive searches along the stream and adjoining areas throughout Monday evening and night.
An Army official said that multiple teams were deployed to trace the missing soldier, and specialised rescue equipment was used during the operation given the strong currents and difficult terrain around the stream.
The search operation continued into Tuesday morning when the joint rescue team located and retrieved the body from the stream, officials said.
Authorities said further procedures were being carried out and the body was being shifted for necessary formalities before being handed over for last rites.
Officials said the circumstances surrounding the incident were being examined while standard operating procedures related to training exercises were also being reviewed.
River crossing drills are a routine component of military training aimed at preparing soldiers for operations in challenging terrains, including mountainous and riverine regions common in parts of Jammu and Kashmir. [KNT]
