Police conduct search operations at Yasin Malik's residence in Srinagar, along with 7 other locations, in reference to the investigation into the murder of a Kashmiri Pandit nurse.
Jammu and Kashmir State Investigation Agency Intensifies Investigation into 35-Year-Old Terror Murder Case
The Jammu and Kashmir State Investigation Agency (SIA) is currently investigating the 1990 abduction and murder of Sarla Bhat, a Kashmiri Pandit nurse, with recent significant developments in the case.
In August 2025, the SIA conducted raids at eight locations in central Kashmir, including residences of former members of the banned Jammu and Kashmir Liberation Front (JKLF), such as the former JKLF leader Peer Noorul Haq Shah alias "Air Marshal". These raids uncovered "incriminating evidence", including documents and digital data believed to be critical to unraveling the conspiracy behind the murder.
Sarla Bhat was abducted from her hostel at the Sher-e-Kashmir Institute of Medical Sciences (SKIMS) in Soura, Srinagar, on April 18, 1990, by JKLF-affiliated militants after refusing to leave her government job despite militant threats targeting Kashmiri Pandits. Her bullet-riddled body was found the next day in downtown Srinagar with a note falsely accusing her of being a police informant.
Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha has ordered the reopening of long-closed militant-related cases from the 1980s and 1990s, focusing on atrocities like the murders of Sarla Bhat and retired judge Neelkanth Ganjoo. Sinha's orders include filing fresh FIRs, providing government jobs and financial aid to victims' families, and identifying government employees linked to past militant activities.
The J&K Police are reinvestigating nine high-profile cases from 1989-1994, seeking public cooperation while ensuring witness confidentiality. In addition to the Sarla Bhat case, the investigation pertains to FIR No. 56/1990, originally filed at Nigeen Police Station under sections 302 and 120 of the Ranbir Penal Code, Section 3/27 of Arms Act, and 3/2 of TADA, now under SIA's purview.
The raids also targeted residences, including that of JKLF chief Mohammad Yasin Malik in Srinagar's congested Maisuma locality. Malik, currently serving a life sentence in Delhi's Tihar Jail, was directed by the Delhi High Court to respond within four weeks to the National Investigation Agency's (NIA) appeal seeking to enhance his life imprisonment to the death penalty in a 2017 terror funding case.
Sinha stated that India has made it clear that if terror is a state policy, it will face a visible and forceful response. The SIA's efforts to solve this 35-year-old terror murder case demonstrate the administration's resolve to bring justice for historic terror crimes against Kashmiri Pandits and send a message that offenders will be pursued regardless of how much time has passed.
Special grievance cells and toll-free helplines have been set up in districts like Anantnag, Baramulla, and Doda to support affected families. The investigation is ongoing, and the SIA continues to work diligently to uncover the truth behind Sarla Bhat's murder and bring those responsible to justice.
Politics and general news discussing the intensified investigation into a 1990 terror murder case by the Jammu and Kashmir State Investigation Agency may also delve into crime and justice matters, with the recent raids uncovering incriminating evidence and potential connections to political organizations such as the banned Jammu and Kashmir Liberation Front. This investigation, stemming from Jammu and Kashmir's ongoing war and conflicts, sheds light on the administration's commitment to addressing past, unresolved crimes and bringing justice for victims like Sarla Bhat.
