Bitta Karate’s case in Srinagar court, 31 yrs after he admitted killing Kashmiri Pandits

Amounting to the redemption of the Kashmiri Pandits' exodus of 1990 and major relief to the history of the ousted community from Jammu and Kashmir, the Srinagar Court will begin hearing the murder trial against the JKLF (Jammu Kashmir Liberation Front) terrorist and most prominent face of Pakistan's diktat Bitta Karate on March 30. The matter at hand is initiated by the family of the victim and murdered Satish Tickoo and the motion is supported by activist Vikas Raina. 

The court hearing is set to commence at 10:30 am at Srinagar Sessions Court and Advocate Utsav Bains will appear on behalf of the victim's family.

Srinagar court to begin trial of JKLF aide Bitta Karate for killing Kashmiri Pandits

It may be noted that Tickoo was regarded as a friend of Karate and the former is one of the first victims of the genocide after the JKLF terrorist received orders from Pakistan.

In an exclusive conversation with Republic TV, the International Coordinator for the Global Kashmiri Pandit Diaspora Utpal Kaul said, "Today is going to be a historic day as the hearing at Srinagar court on the Bitta Karate case will begin."

In the previous conversation with Republic TV, he had said, "Kashmir Pandits want a reversal of genocide. We want a tribunal or an SC judge to punish those who did this to us."

Detailing the plight of the community, Kaul mentioned 20,000 houses were burnt and 450 temples were destroyed. "Our land, business, and everything were finished," he had said.

Who is Bitta Karate? 

Bitta Karate alias Farooq Ahmed Dar was accused of killing many Kashmiri Pandits during their 1990 exodus which he later admitted to doing too. In an interview in 1991, Karate had stated that he executed more than '20 Kashmiri Pandits' or 'maybe more than 30-40' while Kashmiri Pandits said that they regarded the JKLF terrorist as the 'Butcher of Pandits'. History depicts that the community was compelled to flee their homeland and flee the Valley after being coerced to choose between 'raliv, galiv ya chaliv' (convert, die or leave). Karate is said to have followed the order from JKLF top commander Ashfaq Majeed Wani. 

Karate was released on bail in 2006, 16 years after his arrest. His release was a notable one as JKLF outfits and supporters in the Valley hurled petals at him and showered him with a grand procession.