Reopening of a 35-Year-Old Case: Justice for Kashmiri Pandit Nurse

The murder case of Kashmiri Pandit nurse Sarla Bhat, killed 35 years ago, has been reopened. The State Investigation Agency conducted raids in Srinagar, targeting ex-JKLF members. Evidence was found that may unravel the conspiracy behind her murder, seen as part of the 1990 ethnic cleansing campaign against Kashmiri Pandits.

The State Investigation Agency (SIA) has reopened the investigation into the decades-old murder of a Kashmiri Pandit woman, Sarla Bhat, who was killed during the onset of militancy 35 years ago. On Tuesday, the SIA conducted raids at eight locations in central Kashmir linked to the former members of the outlawed Jammu and Kashmir Liberation Front (JKLF).

Sarla Bhat, a nurse at Sher-e-Kashmir Institute of Medical Sciences, disappeared from her hostel in April 1990 and was later found dead in Srinagar's downtown area. The SIA, recently tasked with the case, searched the homes of several individuals formerly affiliated with the JKLF regarding Bhat's murder.

One of the key locations raided included the residence of ex-JKLF leader Peer Noorul Haq Shah, alias Air Marshal. Officials highlighted that the strategic searches across Srinagar led to the discovery of critical evidence, anticipated to aid in dismantling the terrorist plot and securing justice for Bhat and her family. The SIA, established in 2021, aims for swift terror-related investigations in collaboration with central agencies.

(With inputs from agencies.)