Militants kidnap three civilians in Kashmir’s Shopian

A day after a 17-year-old youth was abducted and later shot dead by militants in south Kashmir’s Shopian district, three more civilians were kidnapped by the unidentified ultras on Saturday in the same district.

A police official said that militants on Saturday morning abducted three civilians from Saidpora Payeen village of the district, 75 kms from here. He identified the abductees as Shahid Ahmad Ganie, Farooq Ahmad and Huzaif Ahmad Kutay, all residents of Shopian.

The trio was working at a bakery and were abducted by militants, who came in a car, at gunpoint, he said.

The latest kidnappings come in the backdrop of killing of Nadeem Manzoor of Safnagri village of the district, who was shot dead following his abduction on Thursday night. His bullet riddled body was recovered from adjoining Pulwama district.

Militants on Friday evening released a video of the killing of Nadeem and in the viral video, the terrified 17-year-old is sitting with his back towards the militants. The militants ask him to speak up and at the same time, promise him that they will not kill him.

As the teenager, Nadeem, apologies for unknown reasons, the militants, who are not seen in the video, ask, “What had our Abrar and Soban (two militants killed on November 6 in Shopian in an encounter with security forces) done to you?” They, however, do not wait for his answer and shoot him multiple times.

In an audio message, also circulated on Friday evening, Hizbul Mujahideen operations’ chief Riyaz Naikoo said that their “do or die squad” found the informer of the encounter (in Safanagri). Nadeem, who had recently appeared for his Class XI exam, is survived by his parents, two brothers and a sister.

This was the first time the militants have released such a video. The police said the veracity of the video was being ascertained.