Srinagar, Jan 4 (IANS): The families of the militants killed in the encounter at Lawaypora in Srinagar staged a protest here on Monday demanding that the bodies be returned to them.

"I want justice, I don't want money, I want the body of my son," father of Athar, one of those killed in the encounter said. "I want to ask the people of the country that I want justice, I want my son, he was just 16 years old, either give me back my son or bury me there where he is buried."

"Please tell us what is the fault of the youth killed in the encounter," a relative of Athar said.

Three persons - Aejaz Ganai from Pulwama, Zubair Lone from Shopian and Athar Mushtaq from Pulwama - were killed in an encounter at Lawaypora in Srinagar on December 30. The Army said that they were repeatedly given a chance to surrender but they did not do so and instead fired at the security forces and lobbed grenades. The families of the slain men have been contesting the version of security forces claiming that their sons were not militants.

Police said although the three were not mentioned in the list of terrorists, yet two of them are close associates of terrorists or over ground workers (OGWs).

Meanwhile, the police on Monday released videos showing appeals being made to the holed-up militants to surrender on the evening of December 29 and morning of December 30.