In a crucial turn of events, a former Indian Air Force (IAF) corporal, Rajwar Umeshwar Singh, identified Jammu and Kashmir Liberation Front (JKLF) chief Yasin Malik as the main shooter behind the 1990 killing of four IAF personnel. Testifying before a special CBI court, Singh recounted the chilling incident that took place in Srinagar on January 25, 1990, where Malik, donning his 'pheran,' reportedly pulled out a gun and opened fire at the IAF personnel.
Malik, currently incarcerated in Delhi's Tihar Jail since 2019, attended the court proceedings through video conferencing. The witness, who survived the terror attack that claimed the lives of four IAF men, pointed directly at Malik during the courtroom session.
Background of the incident
On that fateful day, the IAF personnel were waiting for transportation to the old Srinagar airfield for their duty when they came under fire in Rawalpora on the outskirts of Srinagar. The attack resulted in the death of four men, including squadron leader Ravi Khanna, and left 40 others injured.
Legal proceedings
A charge sheet was filed on August 31, 1990, against Yasin Malik and five others before the designated Terrorist and Disruptive Activities (Prevention) Act (TADA) Court at Jammu. Alongside Malik, the accused include JKLF operatives Ali Mohammed Mir, Manzoor Ahmed Sofi (alias Mustafa), Javed Ahmed Mir (alias 'Nalka'), Showkat Ahmed Bakshi, Javed Ahmed Zargar, and Nanaji.
Significance of the testimony
Senior Public Prosecutor for the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI), Monika Kohli, highlighted the significance of the eyewitness's identification of Malik as the primary shooter. This development holds particular importance in the ongoing legal proceedings related to two critical cases against Malik—the 1989 abduction of Rubaiya Sayeed, daughter of then Union Home Minister Mufti Mohammad Sayeed, and the killing of the IAF personnel.
Malik's response
Although Malik was allowed to cross-examine the eyewitness, he declined and has been insisting on a physical appearance in court. This revelation adds a new dimension to the historical case, shedding light on a critical moment in the region's troubled past and bringing the spotlight back on those responsible for the heinous act.
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