Kulgam (Jammu and Kashmir): A soldier of the Indian Army has reportedly gone missing from Jammu and Kashmir's Kulgam district since Saturday evening, officials said.
Javed Ahmad Wani, 25, a resident of Achathal village of Kulgam district, who was posted in the Ladakh region, was currently on leave and had come home to his family. His car was found in Paranhall village of the district at around 8 pm on Saturday. Security forces have launched a massive search operation to track down the missing soldier.
Though some reports said that the soldier was kidnapped from his vehicle in Kulgam, police are yet to confirm any abduction bid. Wani's parents suspect that he has been kidnapped by terrorists and have put out a video statement appealing for his release. According to his family, Wani went out in his car to buy grocery items from a market in Chowalgam last evening but he didn't return.
Following it, the family began searching for him in the surrounding areas. "I am ailing with many diseases and Javed is our only source of sustenance and support. I request you to free him. If he has committed any mistake, forgive him and release him," his mother is seen pleading in the video.
"Please forgive us. Release my son, release my Javed. I will not let him work in Army, but please release him," the mother is heard saying in the video. The missing soldier's father Mohammad Ayub Wani, while speaking to the media also appealed to the purported abductors to release Javed.
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Javed's father, Mohammad Ayub Wani, also appealed for his release. Speaking to media on Sunday, Wani said he would even make his son leave the job if that is what his alleged abductors want. "If he has hurt anyone I apologise for the same. If they want he should leave his job, I will make him leave it. He is not that kind of a person. He recently donated two pints of blood at the hospital," he said.
"Yesterday, he went to the market to buy groceries. He had to resume his duty tomorrow. He had even told his brother to drop him at the airport tomorrow. Later we received a call that his vehicle was found empty and unlocked. We rushed to the spot but Javed was not there and there were blood stains on the car window. I appeal to anyone under whose captivity he is, please let him go unharmed. He is all we have to sustain our lives," the grieving father said.
In a similar incident last year, a soldier who had gone missing was found dead in central Kashmir's Budgam. Terror outfit Lashker-e-Taiba led by Yusuf Kantoo had abducted and killed the soldier identified as Sameer Ahmad Malla. His mother had received a call from the outfit when Malla was held captive. During the investigation, it was revealed that Malla was called by a local villager, who worked for the banned outfit for a meeting.
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