Now Yasin Malik has refused to defend himself in the court in the famous Sarla Bhatt murder case of 1990 Kashmir. Malik, who is in jail, has declared himself innocent in the case and has also said that he will face legal action and will not argue in his favor. This case is about 36 years old and SIA of Jammu and Kashmir has made five people including Malik accused in it.
The story of who Sarla Bhatt was and why she was targeted is equally painful. Sarla was a 27-year-old Kashmiri Pandit resident of Anantnag and worked as a nurse at SKIMS Hospital in Srinagar. On April 18, 1990, he was kidnapped at gunpoint from near the hospital. He was suspected of giving information about terrorists to security agencies. The next day his bullet-ridden body was found in Malbagh area of Srinagar. According to the investigation, JKLF terrorists were behind his kidnapping and murder.
Who was Sarla Bhatt?
Sarla Bhatt worked as a nurse in SKIMS Hospital, Srinagar. She used to go to Anantnag every week to meet her family. In April 1990, the era of terrorism and target killing was intense in Kashmir. Meanwhile, on the night of April 18, while returning after finishing duty, some people allegedly kidnapped Sarla. Investigation revealed that they were beaten and brutally tortured. There were also reported cigarette burn marks on his body. The next day his body was found on the roadside in downtown Srinagar. Rape is also mentioned in some reports, but it is yet to be confirmed.
Why did JKLF kill Sarla?
A pamphlet was reportedly found from Sarla’s body, in which JKLF had taken responsibility for her murder and described her as an informer for security agencies. However, in the SIA investigation, the claim of Sarla being an informer has been rejected.
What happened on the day of the funeral?
After Sarla’s death, a shadow of fear spread over her family too. A hand grenade was allegedly thrown near the house during the funeral. It has also come to light that the family members were stopped on the way and Sarla was threatened by calling her an informer. After these incidents the family left Kashmir. Sarla’s murder was one of those incidents which deepened the fear of Kashmiri Pandit families living in the valley.
How did Yasin Malik’s name get associated?
At the time of Sarla’s murder, Yasin Malik, one of the prominent leaders of JKLF, was admitted in the same hospital for treatment. The investigation also revealed that during that time a hospital official was detained by the police for questioning. After this JKLF suspected that someone from the hospital had informed the police. Due to this suspicion, information about the people working in the hospital was searched and Sarla’s name also came up. In the SIA charge sheet, five people including Yasin Malik have been made accused. Malik is currently serving life imprisonment in Tihar Jail.
What does Yasin Malik want now?
Yasin Malik has already been convicted in a terrorist case. Now the new charge sheet of Sarla Bhatt case has again brought the decades old case into discussion. Malik is trying to present himself as a political person by highlighting his past political journey, investigation process and long time spent in jail. Some analysts believe that this strategy is an attempt to give him the image of a person who was caught in the conflict, while the investigating agencies are making serious allegations about his organization’s role in terrorist activities. This charge sheet, which came after 36 years, definitely raises hopes of justice for Sarla Bhatt’s family, but now the biggest question is that after such a long wait, what will be the outcome of this case in the court.
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