New Delhi: In the frozen silence of Siachen, where even breathing feels like a battle, soldiers of the Indian Army found an unlikely visitor: a Himalayan brown bear family. The bears began showing up at a forward post, first under the cover of night, rummaging for food among the snow piles. Soon, the soldiers began leaving scraps for them, little offerings of warmth in a place where life itself is fragile.

Over weeks, the bears grew bolder. They began appearing in daylight, sensing safety in the company of men who guarded the world’s highest battlefield. Among them was a small, brown and curious cub. The soldiers named it ‘Bahadur’ (their company’s name).

But one day, Bahadur stopped coming. Days passed. The soldiers waited, scanning the endless snowfields. Then a message crackled over

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