Operation launched to trace 3 missing policemen in Kargil

Srinagar, Sep 6 (UNI) The Jammu and Kashmir government has launched a massive search operation to rescue three policemen who had gone missing during an expedition in the border district of Kargil, official sources said today.

They said helicopters have been pressed into service and dispatched to the mountaineous region to trace the missing personnel.

The sources said the rescue team, comprising of Army, police and civil administration officials, was unable to trace them yesterday.

The choppers sent to locate the policemen yesterday were forced to return to the base camp in Kargil due to bad weather conditions in the upper reaches of the district.

The sources said a group of 19 policemen left on a one-month expedition from Parkarcihk in Panikhar area of Kargil district to Nunkun on August 12.

The group was later caught in heavy snowfall between Zanskar and Sanko areas, they added.

The sources said while 16 policemen were rescued, three personnel of the Indian Reserve Police (IRP) had gone missing. They have been identified as Mohammd Issa of IRP's fourth battalion, Sonam Wangyal and Tsering Narboo (both of ninth battalion of the IRP).

Of the 16 policemen rescued, three were admitted to a hospital in Kargil with snow bites.

They have been identified as Ram Singh of PCR Jammu, Vikram Singh of IRP's 12 battalion and Charan Singh of IRP's fourth battalion.

UNI AG PK VV1342