Another Kashmiri civilian abducted, brutally killed by militants; twice in two days

Militants on Saturday abducted and brutally killed a 19-year-old man, identified Huzaif Ashraf, in Kashmir's Shopian, the police said. This incident came less than 48 hours after a 17-year-old youth was abducted from a village in Shopian and killed by militants in South Kashmir’s Pulwama district on Thursday night. Police said that the youth’s bullet-riddled body was found in Pulwama’s Niklora village.

 "Terrorists Saturday killed a civilian in a brutal act of terror in Shopian district after he was kidnapped earlier in the day from Saidpora area," a police official said. The police Ashraf's  throat-slit body was found from an orchard area in Hermain village of the south Kashmir district. A baker by profession,  Ashraf  was a resident of Manzgam area of the neighbouring Kulgam district.

"Huzaif's body was handed over to his family after completion of the medico-legal formalities," the official said. He said a case under relevant sections of law has been registered and investigation has been initiated in the matter.

“He was kidnapped by terrorists this morning from Saidpora…and was later killed by them,” Hindustan Times quoted superintendent of police in Shopian, Sandeep Choudhary, as saying. The two others - Shahid Ganaie, Farooq Thokar - were freed by the militants, he said. Shahid Ganaie, Farooq Thokar are from Saidpora Payeen.

The police added that the trio had no political links, which normally trigger such abductions by militants in the Valley.

On Thursday, militants had abducted and later killed Nadeem Manzoor, a resident of Safanagri area, the police had said.  

Terming the killing “a brutal act of terror”, the police said Manzoor was kidnapped on the intervening night of Thursday and Friday by militants and was later killed.

(With PTI inputs)