Eyewitness identifies JKLF chief Yasin Malik as ‘main shooter’ in IAF men’s killing
Squadron leader Ravi Khanna was among the four IAF personnel killed in the attack that also left 40 injured on January 25, 1990.
A retired officer of the Indian Air Force (IAF), a crucial eyewitness in killing of four IAF personnel in 1990, on Thursday identified JKLF chief Yasin Malik as the main shooter. He was deposed before a special TADA court in Jammu pertaining tot he case of the killings that happened Rawalpora on the outskirts of Srinagar.
Squadron leader Ravi Khanna was among the four IAF personnel killed in the attack that also left 40 injured on January 25, 1990.
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Senior public prosecutor Monika Kohli said, “retired IAF officer, who is an eyewitness in the case, identified JKLF chief Yasin Malik as the shooter who opened fire on January 25, 1990 on IAF personnel. The retired officer had also sustained four bullet injuries in the attack.”
The retired officer pointed to Malik in the courtroom as the main shooter. Malik attended the court proceedings on video from Delhi’s Tihar Jail where he has been incarcerated since 2019 in a terror funding case.
“The eyewitness deposed before the court that they were all standing by the roadside when Yasin Malik appeared on the scene, lifted his pheran and opened indiscriminate fire from an automatic rifle,” said Kohli.
“This is an important development and a big achievement in the case for the prosecution,” she added.
The next dates of hearing are February 15 and 16. Malik is facing two trials before the special TADA court in Jammu.
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In March 2020, the TADA court had framed charges against Yasin and six others allegedly involved in the killing of the four unarmed IAF officials.
Besides Malik, others accused in the killing of the IAF personnel are JKLF operatives Ali Mohammed Mir, Manzoor Ahmed Sofi alias Mustafa, Javed Ahmed Mir alias ‘Nalka’, Showkat Ahmed Bakshi, Javed Ahmed Zargar and Nanaji.
Apart from the shooting in Srinagar, Malik is also facing a case pertaining to the kidnapping of Rubaiya Sayeed, daughter of then Union home minister Mufti Mohammed Sayeed and sister of Peoples Democratic Party president Mehbooba Mufti, for getting five of the outfit’s terrorists released from custody in exchange of her release. She was kidnapped on December 8, 1989, and was released on December 13.
Malik was given an offer to cross-examine the eyewitness but he refused and has been pressing for physical appearing in court.
With PTI inputs