Trial against Bitta Karate begins for murder of Kashmiri Pandit
Thirty one years after admitting to killing '30-40 Kashmiri Pandits' on camera, a case against terrorist Farooq Ahmed Dar alias Bitta Karate has reached the court again. Hearing in the case began on Wednesday in a Srinagar court after the family of Satish Kumar Tikoo, one of the victims of targeted killings in Kashmir, submitted an application to reopen the trial against him.
Why does this story matter?
In 1990, during the genocide and exodus of Kashmiri Pandits from the valley, Bitta became the most dreaded name and was dubbed as the 'Butcher of Pandits'. In an interview in 1991, Bitta had admitted to killing over 40 Kashmiri Pandits. Notably, the issue of Kashmiri Pandits has surfaced following the release of the movie 'The Kashmir Files' recently.
Tickoo was Karate's first victim
In the interview, Bitta, a leader of the banned Jammu Kashmir Liberation Front (JKLF), admitted to killing 'more than 20' Kashmiri Pandits or 'maybe more than 30-40' in 1990. He had even admitted that his first victim was Satish Tickoo. Bitta was arrested in 1990 on charges ranging from murder to terrorism and following Pakistan's orders to carry out the genocide of Kashmiri Pandits.
What did the court say?
During the hearing, the Srinagar sessions court asked the petitioner's lawyer Utsav Bains to file a hard copy of the plea by the next hearing, which has been scheduled for April 16.
Ray of hope for Tickoo's family: Lawyer
"Today was the first hearing...the court heard the matter positively and reprimanded the Jammu and Kashmir government (asking) what it had done in the last 31 years. This hearing is a ray of hope for Satish Kumar Tickoo's family," Bains told news agency ANI. He added that the court also asked the J&K administration why no charge sheet had been filed against Karate.
Cases against separatist Yasin Malik may be reopened
Earlier, Jammu and Kashmir DGP Dilbag Singh had hinted at reopening the case registered against separatist Yasin Malik and Bitta Karate, saying that all the cases against terrorists in Jammu and Kashmir will be investigated. No terrorist will be spared, he had said.
Demands to reopen cases increased
Following the release of 'The Kashmir Files', which revolves around the genocide of Kashmiri Pandits during the 1990s, the demand for the reopening of cases related to the killings has grown significantly. Notably, several Kashmiri Pandit families have come out to narrate the horrific tales of their sufferings during the time. The film has brought Karate under fresh focus.
