Two abducted relatives of policemen released in Kashmir (Lead)

Srinagar : Two abducted relatives of policemen were released unharmed by militants in the Kashmir Valley on Friday after the police freed the father of the Hizbul Mujahideen operational commander.

Police said the two relatives, including the brother of a Deputy Superintendent of Police, had been abducted on Thursday along with nine others.

The release came hours after the authorities released Assadullah Naikoo, the father of Hizbul Operational Commander, Riyaz Naikoo, in Pulwama district.

Nine relatives of policemen are still in custody of militants but it is expected that all of them would be released unharmed.

The release of the Hizbul commander's father appears to have prompted the militants not to harm the non-combatant relatives of policemen.

Hizbul commander Riyaz Naikoo said in a statement released on social media on Friday that the police had compelled the militants to act against families because the police had arrested a non-combatant relative of a militant.