Yasin Malik Must Stand Trial For Killing 4 Indian Air Force Personnel
Yasin Malik was a hard-core militant who had crossed over to the Pakistan-controlled Kashmir to receive training at terrorist camps and returned to the Kashmir Valley in 1989 to create terrorism.
The first case related to terrorism occurred on January 25, 1990, at Rawalpora, Srinagar. The Air Force personnel including Officers were fired upon by terrorists in which 40 of them, including a woman, received serious injuries and four IAF personnel were killed. On completion of the investigation, a charge sheet was filed on August 31, 1990, against Malik and five others before the designated TADA court in Jammu.
Apart from the case of killing of four Indian Air Force officers on January 25, 1990, on the outskirts of Srinagar city, there is another case against Malik for kidnapping of then Union Home Minister Mufti Mohammed Sayeed’s daughter in 1989.
Dr Rubaiya Sayeed was abducted by some gun-wielding terrorists travelling in the same minibus in which she was going to her house at Nowgam. She was taken to some unknown place, where her captors threatened to kill her in case their demands were not met.
Thus two charge sheets were filed by the Central Bureau of Investigation in August and September 1990 against Malik before the designated TADA court in Jammu.
Malik was granted a stay on trial by a single bench of the Jammu and Kashmir High Court in 1995 as there was no TADA court in Srinagar.
Subsequently, Yaseen Malik joined JKLF. When the JKLF declared indefinite ceasefire, the Pakistan deep state began the formation of Hizabul Mujaheedeen, who carried out systematic elimination if JKLF cadre.
At that time, the Indian Government gave Malik a long rope to grow into an internationally recognised political leader of Kashmir.
The JKLF’s ceasefire eventually led to an abdication of militancy by Malik and his organisation. The consequential decision angered many in Pakistan.
In 2008, Malik approached the special court saying the trial could be shifted to Srinagar as he was facing a lot of security problems in view of the Amarnath Yatra row — an agitation which had divided people of Kashmir and Jammu on religious lines over the issue of leasing land to outsiders during the annual pilgrimage.
Jammu Kashmir Liberation Front (JKLF) chief Malik is currently lodged in Delhi’s Tihar Jail after being arrested by the National Investigation Agency (NIA) in a third case related to the financing of terror and separatist organisations.
Yaseen Malik, instead of growing into a political leader, called the shots of terrorism instead as an Over Ground Supporter — from formulating protest strategies, announcing programmes and carrying out other pro terrorist activities; all this in the face of a NIA crackdown and the arrest of many leaders.
Yasin Malik kept on his pro separatism fights something that the government was now in no mood to permit. There are reports in media which suggest that covert messages were sent to him to mellow down and cut down on his activities before the Indian government finally decided to take action against all illegal activities.
Of the three key players in the Joint Separatist Leadership, Syed Ali Shah Geelani and Mirwaiz Umar Farooq being the other two, Yasin Malik was by far the most disruptive and vociferous. Malik’s fresh hostilities towards India stimulated tilt towards Pakistan now could be tolerated no more.
Also the Kashmiri Pandit (KP) organisations blame him for masterminding terror campaign in the valley in the 1990s resulting in the exodus of the entire Hindu community from Kashmir. He has been accused of killing and personally raping many Kashmiri Pandit women who have been vociferously demanding punishment for his heinous acts.
So now the questions arises – when is Yasin Malik going to face trials for his crimes. He must be brought to justice for the killing of four Indian Air Force personnel whose families still wait for justice. He must be brought to justice for the rapes committed. He must face trials for trying to separate Kashmir from India.
Yasin Malik may be pardoned once again for separatist activities, if he takes oath to the Indian Constitution. However for the killings of the IAF Personnel and the rapes of women, he has to face the Court.
