Srinagar, June 30, 2026: More than three decades after the abduction and murder of Kashmiri Pandit nurse Sarla Bhat, her family has described the filing of a chargesheet against Jammu and Kashmir Liberation Front (JKLF) chief Yasin Malik as “justice delayed,” questioning its significance after 36 years.
The State Investigation Agency (SIA) recently filed a 737-page chargesheet before a Special Court in Srinagar, naming Yasin Malik as one of the key accused in the 1990 abduction and murder case. The agency termed the development a “historic milestone in the pursuit of justice for victims of terrorism” and one of the most significant breakthroughs in the investigation of legacy terror crimes in Jammu and Kashmir.
However, members of Sarla Bhat’s family said the delayed legal action offers little consolation after decades of suffering.
“What kind of justice is it? It’s much too delayed. What’s the point now? For us, it’s a joke. It has no relevance,” Sarla’s cousin, Prediman Krishan Bhat, said while reacting to the chargesheet.
Family Recalls Ordeal Following the Murder
The family also recounted the traumatic events that followed Sarla Bhat’s killing in April 1990.
According to her cousin, shortly after Sarla’s funeral, an explosion occurred outside the family’s residence. The following day, when he and another relative went to the cremation ground to collect her ashes, they were allegedly attacked by a mob.
The incidents, he said, left the family with no option but to flee the Kashmir Valley.
The family reportedly left their ancestral home with only a briefcase containing important documents, joining thousands of Kashmiri Pandits who were displaced during the period of militancy.
Abducted After Duty at SKIMS
According to the investigation, Sarla Bhat, a nurse posted at the Sher-i-Kashmir Institute of Medical Sciences (SKIMS), was abducted on April 14, 1990, after completing her duty shift.
Investigators allege that JKLF militants forcibly took her away in a waiting vehicle after accusing her of acting as a police informer.
Her bullet-riddled body was recovered five days later from Srinagar’s old city. Allegations later emerged that she had been tortured and sexually assaulted before being killed.
The case became one of the most widely cited incidents highlighting targeted violence against Kashmiri Pandits during the early years of militancy in Jammu and Kashmir.
SIA Terms Chargesheet a Milestone
The State Investigation Agency said the filing of the chargesheet marks a major step in reopening and investigating unresolved terror-related crimes that remained pending for decades.
Officials stated that the chargesheet is based on extensive investigation and evidence collected as part of the agency’s efforts to ensure accountability in long-pending terrorism cases.
The SIA described the development as a significant milestone in delivering justice to victims of terrorism and reaffirmed its commitment to pursuing legacy terror cases through the legal process.
Search for Justice Continues
While the chargesheet represents a fresh legal development in one of Kashmir’s most sensitive terror cases, Sarla Bhat’s family maintains that justice delayed cannot erase decades of pain and displacement.
For the family, the filing of charges after more than three decades serves as a reminder of the long wait endured by victims of terrorism and their loved ones, who continue to seek closure through the judicial process.
The Special Court in Srinagar is expected to take up further proceedings in the case in accordance with law.
