Kashmiri Pandit Nurse Sarla Bhat's Rape And Murder Case Reopens After 35 Years; Yasin Malik Among The Accused

Nearly 35 years after Kashmiri Pandit nurse Sarla Bhat was abducted, allegedly tortured, raped and killed, the Jammu and Kashmir State Investigation Agency (SIA) is set to file a 737-page chargesheet before a special court in Srinagar. The chargesheet names Mohammad Yasin Malik and several others in connection with the case, marking a major development in one of Kashmir's oldest unresolved terror-related investigations.

According to official sources, the investigation has reconstructed the events surrounding the 1990 killing through witness statements, forensic evidence and extensive field investigations.

Who Has Been Named in the Chargesheet?

The SIA investigation has named Mohammad Yasin Malik, is a Kashmiri separatist leader and the chairman of the banned Jammu and Kashmir Liberation Front (JKLF).

The chargesheet also names:

• Khurshid Ahmad Chalkoo
• Abdul Hamid Sheikh
• Mohammad Yousuf Sofi alias Idrees
• Ghulam Mohammad Taploo

According to investigators, Abdul Hamid Sheikh, Mohammad Yousuf Sofi and Ghulam Mohammad Taploo have since died.

Jammu and Kashmir | The State Investigation Agency (SIA), Kashmir, has filed a 737-page comprehensive chargesheet before the Court of the Additional Sessions Judge under the NIA Act, Srinagar, in the abduction, torture and brutal killing of Sarla Bhat, a staff nurse at…

— ANI (@ANI) June 29, 2026

Khurshid Ahmad Chalkoo is believed to have fled to Pakistan-occupied Jammu and Kashmir (PoJK), and legal proceedings have already been initiated against him.
Yasin Malik is currently in judicial custody in another case.

What Is The Sarla Bhat Case?

Sarla Bhat, a nurse working in Kashmir, was abducted near the Sher-i-Kashmir Institute of Medical Sciences (SKIMS) on April 18, 1990, during the early years of terrorism in the Valley.

According to the investigation, she was allegedly kidnapped, brutally assaulted and later killed with automatic rifle fire at Omer Colony in Malbagh, Srinagar.

The case became one of the most widely remembered crimes committed during the early phase of militancy in Jammu and Kashmir.

Why Did the Case Remain Unsolved for Decades?

For more than three decades, the investigation remained incomplete because of the security situation prevailing in Kashmir during the 1990s.

According to officials, widespread fear created by terrorist organisations discouraged witnesses from coming forward. The atmosphere of violence and intimidation made it extremely difficult for investigators to gather evidence or record statements.

As a result, many terror-related crimes from that period remained unresolved for years.

Fresh Investigation Began in 2024

The case was formally transferred to the State Investigation Agency (SIA), Jammu and Kashmir, on March 18, 2024, under the directions of the Director General of Police (DGP).
After taking over the investigation, the agency conducted a detailed review of old records and collected fresh evidence.

Investigators relied on protected witness testimonies, independent eyewitness accounts, forensic and ballistic reports, medical records, documentary evidence and electronic material to reconstruct the sequence of events.

Officials said this helped investigators establish a clearer picture of the alleged conspiracy despite the passage of nearly 35 years.

SIA Alleges Larger Terror Conspiracy

According to sources, the investigation concluded that Sarla Bhat's killing was not an isolated crime but allegedly part of a larger conspiracy carried out under the command structure of the Jammu and Kashmir Liberation Front (JKLF).

Investigators allege that the crime formed part of a broader campaign of targeted violence intended to spread fear among civilians, particularly members of the Kashmiri Pandit community, during the early years of militancy.

Police also claim the attacks were aimed at creating conditions that contributed to the displacement of Kashmiri Pandits from the Valley.

These allegations will now be examined as part of the judicial process.

Charges Under Multiple Laws

According to sources, the proposed chargesheet invokes several provisions of the Indian Penal Code (IPC), including offences related to kidnapping, wrongful restraint, murder, destruction of evidence and criminal conspiracy.

The accused have also been booked under provisions of the Terrorist and Disruptive Activities (Prevention) Act (TADA), 1987, as well as the Arms Act, 1959.