Jammu (Jammu and Kashmir) [India], June 29 : The filing of a chargesheet by the State Investigation Agency (SIA) in the 1990 abduction, torture and killing of Sher-i-Kashmir Institute of Medical Sciences (SKIMS) nurse Sarla Bhat has drawn strong reactions from political leaders and former police officials, with many describing it as a significant step towards justice for the Kashmiri Pandit community after more than three decades.
Former Jammu and Kashmir Director General of Police (DGP) SP Vaid said the breakthrough in the investigation could pave the way for reopening other cases linked to the targeted killings of Kashmiri Pandits during the militancy period.
"As per reports, the SIA have got a breakthrough, critical evidence in Sarla Bhat's case. Cases like Sarla Bhat's were actually responsible for creating fear psychosis in the Hindu community of Kashmiri Pandits in the Valley, and that actually led to their exodus from the Kashmir Valley," Vaid told ANI.
He said investigations should continue wherever evidence is still available.
"So, in cases where there is still the possibility of collecting hard evidence, I think we should think of taking up and re-investigating them and completing the investigation. It will be a big relief to the Kashmiri Pandits community," he added.
BJP leader Rajeev Pandita termed the development "a day of hope" for the displaced Kashmiri Hindu community, saying the demand for accountability has remained central to their struggle for justice.
"Today is a day of hope for the Kashmiri Hindu community. For the past thirty-six years, we have been speaking about the atrocities inflicted upon us--how our sisters, daughters, and brothers were killed and slaughtered, and how we were forced into a life of displacement," Pandita said.
He further said, "Who is responsible for this? We are told to resettle there, and indeed, we will resettle; but first, those who perpetrated the carnage and bloodshed must be held accountable. This has always been the demand of Kashmiri Hindus, and today that day has arrived."
Reacting to the naming of Yasin Malik as the alleged mastermind in the case, BJP Jammu and Kashmir State Chief Spokesperson Altaf Thakur said the filing of the chargesheet represented a crucial milestone in securing justice.
"The filing of the charge sheet today means justice has finally been served, especially regarding a dreaded terrorist like Yasin Malik. If anyone bears the greatest culpability for the massacre of Kashmiri Pandits, it is him. Malik was the chief of the JKLF, a terrorist organisation, at the time," Thakur told ANI.
He expressed hope that the trial would proceed expeditiously.
"We hope the trial proceeds on a fast-track basis and that Yasin Malik is hanged as soon as possible, given the number of Kashmiri Pandits he killed. Yasin Malik and the JKLF played the primary role in driving Kashmiri Pandits out of Kashmir and in their killings," he said.
Thakur further alleged that Malik should "no longer be kept in a high-security prison being fed biryani and milk" and said, "He should be sent straight to the gallows. He ought to be hanged."
He also credited the present government for pursuing justice in the matter, saying, "We can certainly expect justice now, as it is under the tenure of Prime Minister Narendra Modi that everyone has received justice. We urge the Government of India and the Home Minister to ensure there is no further delay."
Jammu and Kashmir Janata Dal (United) president GM Shaheen also welcomed the development and said justice had been delayed for decades.
"A terrible atrocity was committed against that girl, and she was denied justice for so many years. We welcome this move. Those who committed such a shameful act deserve the death penalty," Shaheen said.
He added that several such incidents had occurred in Jammu and Kashmir and praised the investigative efforts.
"We congratulate the government for reopening this case and for the hard work put into identifying those involved and uncovering their complicity. We also commend the effort to retrieve records dating back 35 years. We believe the Jammu and Kashmir Police have done excellent work in the past and will continue to do so," he said.
The SIA on Sunday filed a comprehensive chargesheet in the 1990 abduction, torture and killing of Sarla Bhat before a special court in Srinagar, naming Yasin Malik as the alleged mastermind in the case.
According to the SIA, the investigation has established the involvement of Mohammad Yaseen Malik, then Chief Commander of the Jammu and Kashmir Liberation Front (JKLF), along with Khurshid Ahmad Chalkoo, Abdul Hamid Sheikh, Mohammad Yousuf Sofi alias Idrees and Ghulam Mohammad Taploo in planning and executing the abduction and killing.
The agency further stated that while Abdul Hamid Sheikh, Mohammad Yousuf Sofi alias Idrees and Ghulam Mohammad Taploo have since died, Yaseen Malik is currently lodged in judicial custody in another case.
The agency said legal proceedings, including proclamation proceedings, have been initiated against absconding accused Khurshid Ahmad Chalkoo, who allegedly pulled the trigger and is believed to have exfiltrated to Pakistan-occupied Jammu and Kashmir.