Srinagar, Sep 30 (IANS): The bodies of the three persons killed in an encounter in South Kashmir's Shopian district on July 18 will be exhumed and handed over to the families, Inspector General, Kashmir Vijay Kumar said on Wednesday.

"Since DNA samples have matched with the families, the three dead bodies will be exhumed and handed over to the families after due process of law," Kumar said.

Earlier, the DNA samples of the family members, hailing from J&K's Rajouri district were matched with three persons -- Imtiyaz Ahmad, Abrar Ahmad and Mohammad Ibrar. The three were killed by the security forces during an anti-terror operation in Shopian.

An army inquiry later found that the security personnel had exceeded their powers under the Armed Forces Special Powers Act (AFSPA) during the encounter.

The Jammu and Kashmir Police and the army started probing the killing of the three after the families claimed that their kin had gone missing and photographs emerged on social media about them reportedly having been killed in the encounter.

Police have so far arrested two persons, who were under suspicion and are being questioned.