Key eyewitness identifies Yasin Malik as main shooter in 1990 IAF personnel killings

Jammu, Nov 23 In a breakthrough during the trial of banned Jammu and Kashmir Liberation Front (JKLF) chief, Yasin Malik, for the killings of four IAF officials in Rawalpora area of Jammu and Kashmir's Srinagar city on January 25, 1990, a key eyewitness has identified the separatist leader as the main shooter in the TADA court.

Officials said on Sunday that a key eyewitness has identified Yasin Malik as the main shooter in the 1990 Indian Air Force (IAF) personnel massacre case.

"The identification was made before a special TADA court in Jammu, where Malik is on trial for the attack that killed four IAF personnel and injured several others in Rawalpora Srinagar, on January 25, 1990. The witness, an IAF personnel and a colleague of the victims, confirmed Malik's role in the attack, which is a major breakthrough in the 35-year-old case," the officials said.

Yasin Malik, already in prison after a life sentence in a terror funding case, also faces trial for the 1989 kidnapping of Rubaiya Sayeed, daughter of the then Union Home Minister, Mufti Mohammad Sayeed.

Two key eyewitnesses clearly identified Malik and three of his alleged associates as the main accused before the TADA court in Jammu on Saturday.

Malik, who participated in the proceedings via video conferencing, appeared alongside Javed Mir, Muhammad Rafiq Pahloo alias Saleem Nana Ji, and Shaukat Bakshi before the court.

During cross-examination, the two key witnesses reaffirmed their identification of all four as the main accused, according to the officials.

A third eyewitness, an IAF staff member, testified that Malik was the main shooter in the attack.

The incident resulted in the deaths of at least four IAF personnel, including Air Force squadron leader Ravi Kumar Khanna, and left 22 others injured.

The eyewitnesses remained firm on their statements during cross-examination.

Following the identification of the accused, the next hearing is scheduled for November 29.

The prosecution is seeking the maximum punishment for Malik.

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