SRINAGAR: Bodies of two Special Police Officers (SPOs) and a constable, who went missing on Thursday night has been recovered. The third missing person, a civilian, has been released.

The four went missing in South Kashmir's Shopian. They were allegedly abducted by members of Hizbul Mujahideen, added sources. The outfit had earlier sent an audio threat saying SPO’s should resign from their jobs.

"Three bullet-riddled bodies were recovered from Kapran village in the morning. The slain policemen have been identified as Firdous Ahmad Kuchai, Nisar Ahmad Dhobi and Kuldeep," police sources said.

Police officials, however, remained tight-lipped about the abductions. A police spokesman said the information was being verified from the ground.

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

Those abducted were identified as Firdous Ahmad Kuchey and Kuldeep Singh – both residents of Batgund Shopian, and Nisar Ahmad Dhobi and Fayaz Ahmad Bhat, residents of Kapran.

Nisar Ahmad is the brother of a policeman and was released a short while ago.

Last month, nine people, whose family members are working in the Jammu and Kashmir Police and the Army, were kidnapped by terrorists from Shopian, Kulgam, Anantnag and Awantipora in the state.

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

The August 30 abductions happened 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.

The development comes a day after Kashmiri human right activists expressed concern over growing extremism and terrorist activities in the Pakistan-occupied Kashmir.

“PoK has remained a hub of terrorism for decades. Pakistan`s agencies have created terrorists` infrastructure in the area to carry out terrorist activities in other parts of the Kashmir. It has become a launching pad,” said Shaukat Ali Kashmiri, exiled chairman of United Kashmir People`s National Party.

With agency inputs