Militants in South Kashmir released 11 people – three policemen and eight relatives of police personnel – who they had abducted earlier on Friday evening.

They were freed from the clutches of terrorists as police released a Hizbul Mujahideen (HM) commander’s father.

After releasing 11 people from their custody, terrorists also released videos of three policemen in captivity, asking the Director General of Police or DGP “not to harass the families of terrorists.”

There were three separate videos that were released. In the videos, the cops could be seen urging DGP SP Vaid not to let civilians or security personnel destroy the houses of terrorists.

“Either you give us security or don’t ask us to do this as our families are being put in danger,” one of the abducted constables said in the video.

All 11 people abducted over the period of last three days from south Kashmir were released unharmed on Friday hours after Hizbul operational commander Riyaz Naikoo’s father Assadullah Naikoo was freed by the police.

Riyaz Naikoo said on the social media that the police had “compelled” the militants to act against the families of policemen because a non-combatant relative of a militant had been arrested by them.

Authorities on Thursday confirmed that eight relatives of policemen were abducted from south Kashmir areas. Others were abducted on Friday.

Those abducted on Thursday evening were Zubair Ahmad, son of a policeman from Arwani area of Kulgam district; Arif Ahmed, brother of a middle-rung police officer from Arwani; Faizan Ahmad, son of a policeman from Kharpora, Kulgam; Sumeer Ahmad Rather, son of a policeman from Yaripora, Kulgam; and Gowhar Ahmad, brother of a Deputy Superintendent of Police from Katapora, Kulgam.

Earlier on Thursday, militants abducted Nasir Ahmad, son of a policeman from Midoora Tral.

Militants had on Wednesday abducted Asif Ahmad, son of a local policeman Rafiq Ahmad Rather, from Pinglish village of Tral in Pulwama district.

Authorities had on Thursday decided to launch a massive operation in south Kashmir areas to check the alarming trend of abduction of relatives of police personnel, but the decision was put on hold due to fears that the abducted persons could be harmed in case of a large-scale operation.

(With agency inputs)