Sarla Bhat was killed to drive Kashmiri Pandits out of Valley, chargesheet notes

4 min readJammu/srinagarUpdated: Jun 29, 2026 08:46 PM IST

On Monday, the State Investigation Agency filed a 737-page chargesheet in a special NIA court in Srinagar, naming the then JKLF chief Yasin Malik as a key accused in her abduction and killing. (File Photo)

The Jammu and Kashmir police’s investigation into the death of Sarla Bhat in 1990 has “conclusively established” that she was “abducted, tortured and killed” by the Jammu and Kashmir Liberation Front (JKLF), “pursuant to a larger terrorist conspiracy and campaign directed against the Kashmiri Pandit community”.

Bhat was a 27-year-old nurse in the Neonatology Department of the Sher-e-Kashmir Institute of Medical Sciences (SKIMS), Soura. Her body was found on the Mallabagh-Omer Colony Road in Srinagar on April 19, 1990.

On Monday, the State Investigation Agency filed a 737-page chargesheet in a special NIA court in Srinagar, naming the then JKLF chief Yasin Malik as a key accused in her abduction and killing. Officials called the development a “historic milestone in the pursuit of justice for victims of terrorism” and said that it stands as “one of the most significant breakthroughs in the investigation of legacy terror crimes in Jammu and Kashmir”.

The case was transferred to the SIA on March 18, 2024, under the orders of the J&K DGP.

The accused in the case include Malik, who is currently in judicial custody in another case, and Khurshid Ahmad Chalkoo, who is absconding and believed to have exfiltrated to Pakistan-Occupied Jammu and Kashmir. Three other accused, Abdul Hamid Sheikh, Mohammad Yousuf Sofi alias Idrees, and Ghulam Mohammad Taploo, are no more.

“The ocular evidence, medical and ballistic findings, recovery of the terror claim note, electronic evidence, witness testimonies and surrounding circumstances form a coherent and compelling chain of evidence proving that the killing was not an isolated act but part of JKLF’s systematic campaign of targeted violence against the Kashmiri Pandit community intended to spread terror and facilitate their forced exodus from the Kashmir valley,” the chargesheet is learnt to state.

The investigation established that Bhat was abducted on April 18, 1990, and subjected to physical assault and torture before being shot dead by a rifle by four JKLF-affiliated terrorists “under the directions of Yaseen Malik”.

Story continues below this ad

Police have stated that the incident “formed part of JKLF’s organised campaign of targeted killings against members of the Kashmiri Pandit community with the objective of creating terror, compelling mass migration and advancing its secessionist agenda.”

The investigators relied on protected witness testimony, independent eyewitness accounts, memos, site identification, medico-legal evidence, multiple firearm entry and exit wounds, extensive internal injuries and signs of physical torture to establish the charges.

The recovery of a note from the scene, wherein JKLF claimed responsibility for the killing, was also examined. While the “CFSL New Delhi could not conclusively attribute the handwriting to any particular individual,” the police stated that the note is “independently corroborated” by contemporaneous media reports published immediately after the incident.

According to the SIA, evidence also revealed that JKLF “falsely portrayed Sarla Bhat as an informer,” allegedly responsible for the security forces’ raid at Narwara on April 8, 1990, during which several JKLF terrorists were apprehended and Mohammad Yaseen Malik reportedly sustained injuries while escaping. The investigation concluded that this allegation was “merely a pretext” used to justify an already planned targeted killing.

Story continues below this ad

A report compiled by the Jammu and Kashmir Police in 2008 on the basis of a survey of its own cases revealed that from 1989 onwards, militants had killed 209 Kashmiri Pandits – 109 of them in 1990 alone. Kashmiri Pandit groups say that the number is higher.

© The Indian Express Pvt Ltd

Naveed Iqbal is a Senior Assistant Editor at The Indian Express, and reports from Jammu and Kashmir. With a career spanning over 15 years in frontline journalism, Naveed provides authoritative reporting on the region’s transition, governance, and the socio-political implications of national policies.

Expertise

Regional Specialization: Based in the Srinagar and New Delhi bureaus, Naveed has spent over a decade documenting the unique challenges of Jammu and Kashmir. Her reporting is distinguished by deep contextual knowledge of the region's post-Article 370, statehood debates, and local electoral politics.

Key Coverage Beats: Her extensive body of work covers:

Politics & Governance: Tracking the National Conference (NC), PDP, and BJP dynamics, including in-depth coverage of J&K’s first Assembly sessions and Rajya Sabha polls following the reorganization of the state.

Internal Security & Justice: Providing rigorous reporting on counter-insurgency operations, terror module investigations, and judicial developments involving political detainees and constitutional rights.

Education & Minority Affairs: Highlighting systemic issues such as quota rows in J&K, public service commission reforms, and the challenges faced by minority communities. ... Read More

Tags:

Jammu and Kashmir

jklf

kashmiri pandit

Mohammed Yasin Malik