Wails in Exile: Assassination of Mohan Lal Bhat

Mohan Lal Bhat

Mohan Lal Bhat when alive

Mohan Lal Bhat had not perceived threat to his life. He trusted his age old neighbours with whom he had spent his childhood, youth and then adulthood. He stayed back to take care of his ancestral property and orchards that he had added to his inherited property. He did not perceive that his immovable property would be cause of his death. He let two of his sons Autar Krishan Bhat and his younger brother in their prime youth to shift to Jammu and stayed back along with his wife.

Autar Krishan Bhat along with his brother occupied an allotted tent at Purkhu Camp.

5^th May 1990, early in the morning, someone lifted the flap of the tent and in whispers called out Autar Krishan Bhat. The message was a bolt from the blue. His father Mohan Lal Bhat was done to death on 4^th May, 1990 at his home at Chekpora Baghati Kanipora, Chadura, District Budgam, Kashmir.

None around to console or confirm the sad message, Autar Krishan rushed to Airport by the earliest conveyance available. He failed to get the air ticket. To his good luck in adverse circumstances, one Sardar ji came to his rescue. He offered his services to him and carried him to Chekpora Baghti Kanipora in his Taxi car. Money was no consideration to Sardar Ji.

By twilight they reached Chekpora Baghti Kanipora. Villagers and neighbours had already deserted the village. The only confirmation to the assassination of his father was the stale blood spilled all around.

SHO Thana Sadder at Shergadi, Srinagar expressed his ignorance. He suggested them to look for the dead body at the Police Control Room Batmalloo. Response from the constable in charge of dead bodies at Police control room was too cold to be humane.

Sardar Ji was the only human hand at the service of the bereaved son in his bereavement. To know the whereabouts of his mother was an additional anxiety to him.

They went back to Chekpora Baghati Kanipora where some army soldier came out of the bunker and asked them for the reason of their frequent restless visits to the site. He told them to look for the deceased at the nearby cremation ground where two, one civilian and one soldier were cremated. The former was cremated by the one named Kaka Ji. Autar Krishan got the clue. Kaka ji was his maternal uncle. Sardar ji requisitioned one more taxi to carry the leftover important household goods and ashes of the dead.

Sardar Ji when compelled accepted only Rs.800 for all his services and two of his taxi cars. He was an angel for the depressed family.