Three policemen abducted, killed by militants in Kashmir's Shopian

Days after Hizbul Mujahideen warned the Special Police Officer to quit their jobs by September 19, militants reportedly abducted and killed three policemen in Jammu and Kashmir's Shopian district on Thursday night.

The policemen, all SPOs, have been identified as Firdous Ahmad Kuchey, Kuldeep Singh and Nisar Ahmad Dhobi. Their bodies were recovered from Shopian.

The fourth abducted person, Fayaz Ahmad Bhat who is a brother of a policeman, was released on Friday morning. No organisation has claimed responsibility so far.

Jammu & Kashmir: Three policemen who were kidnapped by terrorists in south Kashmir's Shopian, found dead. pic.twitter.com/OV9xwHrDBn

— ANI (@ANI) September 21, 2018

The incident came less than a month after as many as eight family members of policemen were kidnapped on the night of August 30 after militants raided their homes in Jammu and Kashmir.

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Releasing a 12-minute video, Hizbul Mujahideen commander Riyaz Naikoo had purportedly claimed responsibility for the abductions and issued a three-day deadline for the release of all relatives of militants, who were in police custody.

The August 30 incident came after the NIA arrested the second son of globally-wanted terrorist Syed Salahuddin, leader of the Hizbul Mujahideen group. Salahuddin's son was arrested on charges of receiving secret funds.

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In June, Army soldier Aurangzeb was abducted from a private vehicle when he was going home for Eid in Shopian. His bullet-riddled body was recovered from a Pulwama village hours later.