Kokernag (Jammu and Kashmir) [India], October 11 (ANI): Indian Army's Chinar Corps paid tribute to 2 soldiers, Lance Havildar Palash Ghosh and Lance Naik Sujay Ghosh, who were killed during an anti-terror operation in Jammu and Kashmir's Kishtwar Range of Kokernag, while battling extreme weather conditions.

'Chinar Corps honours the supreme sacrifice of Bravehearts Lance Havildar Palash Ghosh and Lance Naik Sujay Ghosh, while conducting relentless counter terror operations in the Kishtwar Range of Kokernag, battling extreme weather conditions', the Chinar Corps posted on X on Friday.

Honouring their courage, the Army expressed solidarity with the affected families.

'Their courage and dedication will forever inspire us. Chinar Warriors salute the valour and sacrifice of the Bravehearts. We stand in solidarity with the bereaved families and are committed to their well-being', the post added.

Earlier, on the intervening night of October 6, Lance Havildar Palash Ghosh and Lance Naik Sujay Ghosh went missing while an operational team on Kishtwar range confronted a severe snow storm and white out conditions in the mountains of South Kashmir, the Army had said on Thursday.

'On the intervening night of 6/7 Oct an operational team on Kishtwar range confronted a severe snow storm and white out conditions in the mountains of South Kashmir', Chinar corps said in an earlier post on X.

Intense search and rescue operations were launched, but were 'hampered due to prevailing adverse weather conditions', the army said.

Meanwhile, On October 9, Union Home Minister Amit Shah directed security forces to remain on high alert and ensure that terrorists do not exploit snowfall and adverse weather conditions to infiltrate across the Line of Control (LoC) and International Border in Jammu and Kashmir.

The directive came during a high-level security review meeting chaired by Shah in the national capital to assess the ground situation in the Union Territory.

Officials briefed the Home Minister about the recent pattern of infiltration attempts from across the LoC, where Pakistan-based terror groups often use fog, snow cover, and difficult terrain to push infiltrators into Indian territory. With winter approaching, several mountain passes in north Kashmir and the Pir Panjal range are expected to receive heavy snowfall, limiting visibility and complicating surveillance operations.

Emphasising the need for coordinated vigilance, Shah also asked the Army, BSF, and Jammu and Kashmir Police to strengthen their presence along infiltration-prone routes and enhance intelligence-sharing mechanisms. (ANI)