Yasin Malik Trial: New Witness Identifies JKLF Chief in 1990 IAF Killing Case

More than three decades after the brutal killing of Indian Air Force personnel in Kashmir’s Rawalpura, fresh testimony in the trial of Yasin Malik has brought renewed momentum to a long-pending case.

In a significant development, a new witness has identified the chief of the Jammu and Kashmir Liberation Front before a special TADA Court, linking him directly to the 1990 terror attack that claimed the life of Indian Air Force officer Ravi Khanna.

The identification, made 35 years after the incident, is being viewed as a major breakthrough in the case, which has long symbolised the slow grind of justice in terror-related prosecutions. The court proceedings follow earlier testimony recorded in November, indicating a steady strengthening of the prosecution’s case.

The special report revisits the chilling events of January 1990 through the account of Nirmal Khanna, the widow of Squadron Leader Ravi Khanna. She recalled that the attacker allegedly approached her husband under the pretext of seeking directions to Natipora before opening fire at close range, killing him on the spot in Rawalpura.

Khanna’s testimony highlights the personal cost of terrorism and the decades-long struggle endured by families of victims seeking accountability. For over thirty years, the family pursued justice amid delays, legal hurdles, and shifting political circumstances.

The report underscores that the emergence of new witnesses and corroborative testimony signals that the case against Yasin Malik is gaining legal traction. Prosecutors argue that mounting evidence now places the accused at the centre of the attack, reinforcing the charges under anti-terror laws.

As the trial continues, the proceedings are being closely watched as a test case for accountability in decades-old terror crimes. For the victims’ families, the renewed progress offers cautious hope that justice, though delayed, may finally be delivered.