Two days after four policemen were shot dead in South Kashmir's Shopian district, a spree of at least 11 abductions of relatives of J&K police personnel has rattled the police and intelligence agencies.
In last 24 hours, suspected militants have kidnapped relatives of J&K policemen from various districts of South Kashmir including the militant hotbeds Tral, Pulwama, Anantnag and Kupwara.
The abduction of the policemen's relatives followed after the news of the security forces setting ablaze the house of two local militants from villages in Shopian spread. This was followed by the arrest of the father of Hizbul Mujahideen top militant, Riaz Naikoo from his residence in Pulwama on Thursday. He was released later today.
Police sources told the International Business Times India, that the sudden kidnappings of the relatives of J&K policemen could be a revenge ploy by the militants.
The abductions began on Thursday and within a matter of hours, gunmen appeared at the houses of J&K policemen serving in various capacities across abducting their relatives.
At least six kidnappings have taken place from Kulgam district alone whereas the rest of abduction incidents took place in Shopian, Anantnag and Tral regions of South Kashmir.
A video of a mother of one abducted persons, Asif from Pinglish village of Tral appealing the gunmen to release her son. Asif is the son of a police constable Rafiq Ahmad.
Asif's mother made a passionate appeal to the militants calling them her own sons and asking for Asif's release with folded hands.
A day before, militants had kidnapped Asif Ahmed Rather, son of a local policeman Rafiq Ahmed Rather from Pinglish, Tral.
Meanwhile, the abduction and targeting of the families of J&K police personnel have triggered strong reactions on Twitter.
Former Chief Minister and Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) chief Mehbooba Mufti tweeted, "In South Kashmir, militants target Militants and forces victimising each other's families is highly condemnable and marks a new low in our situation. Families shouldn't become casualties and made to suffer for something they have little control over."
Former Chief Minister Omar Abdullah said in a tweet, "11 abductions! This is a very worrying reflection of the situation in the valley. What's worse is the selective outrage - people/leaders who are so vocal about alleged security force excesses are silent about these abductions."
He also hit out at the Hurriyat leaders for their alleged silence on the abduction of families of J&K policemen while being vocal about the harassment of the families of the militants.
Since June, the militants have carried out a series of deadly attacks on local policemen by either targeting them individually at their houses or killing them on roads.
A senior political commentator based in Srinagar while wishing anonymity told the International Times India, that the killings of the local policemen is not a new phenomenon in Kashmir valley and the same occurred a few years ago to scare the locals away from the police recruitments.
"It is a well-hatched plan to stop the locals from joining police forces. The families of the policemen, however, were spared earlier which is not the case now," he added.
The Hizbul Mujahideen top commander, Riaz Naikoo, had earlier appeared in a video on the social media threatening the locals to refrain from joining police ranks or be ready to face the dire consequences.
