In the beautiful valley of Kashmir, where tall mountains watch over age-old traditions, a single act of violence on February 2, 1990, marked the beginning of a devastating period in the region’s history. This is the heart-wrenching story of Satish Tickoo ( Satish Tikoo), a 22-year-old Kashmiri Pandit whose life was cruelly taken away. His death started a dark era that still casts a long shadow over what was once called “paradise on earth. Kashmiriyat died on 19 January, 1990, and on Satish Tikoo’s murder, it was buried deeper, leaving behind shattered hopes and a once-united community torn apart by violence and fear. The soul of a culture that thrived on harmony and mutual respect was brutally silenced, never to return the same.
The Morning of February 2: A Curfew Break with Deadly Consequences
Picture a cold February morning in Srinagar, the main city of Kashmir. The air was crisp, and a blanket of silence covered the streets. The city was under curfew, a rule that kept people in their homes. On that day, the curfew was relaxed until 11 AM.
Satish Tickoo was a young businessman deeply committed to helping others. He woke up that morning, unaware of the danger waiting just outside his door. He planned to make the most of the brief period when he could leave his house.
Satish’s brother, Ramesh Tickoo, recalls those last moments with a heavy heart:
“It was around 8 in the morning. During the curfew break, a man named Bitta Karate came asking for Satish. We didn’t know it then, but he was looking for someone to harm. We told him Satish wasn’t home.”
The family thought it was just someone looking for Satish, perhaps for assistance or business. They had no idea about the sinister plans behind the visit. When Satish woke up, they simply informed him someone had come by.
“Satish said we should have woken him up,” Ramesh continues, his voice filled with sadness as he looks back on that day. “He thought it might be someone who needed his help. Satish was always ready to lend a hand.”
This simple act of kindness, combined with the brief curfew break, led to Satish’s tragic end.
The Final Walk: Satish’s Last Moments
Imagine the scene: Satish, wearing his warm Kashmiri cloak called a pheran and holding a kangri (a small pot filled with hot coals), steps out into the cold winter morning. The streets, usually empty due to the curfew, were now filled with people rushing to complete their tasks before the curfew resumed at 11 AM.
Satish paused to eat a radish his cousin’s sister had cleaned. It seemed like a normal moment, but later, this small detail would become a painful memory for his family. As Satish walked down familiar streets, he was unaware that each step brought him closer to imminent danger.
Just twelve houses away from his home, a man named Bitta Karate (real name Farooq Ahmed Dar) was waiting. The brief curfew break had given him the perfect opportunity to execute his grim plan.
The Moment That Changed Everything
The calm morning air, filled with the sounds of people going about their business during the curfew break, was suddenly shattered by gunshots. Satish, caught completely off guard, attempted to protect himself with his kangri. But how could a small pot of coals stop bullets?
In mere seconds, seven bullets struck Satish. Each shot not only inflicted physical harm but also shattered the fragile peace among communities in Kashmir. Bitta Karate, who identified himself as a fighter for the Jammu Kashmir Liberation Front (JKLF), ensured Satish had no chance of survival. The curfew break, intended to offer a glimpse of normalcy, became the backdrop for a tragedy that reverberated through the years.
A Family’s World Shattered
The news of Satish’s murder spread rapidly through the neighbourhood. For his family, time seemed to stand still. His parents, siblings, and relatives were thrust into an unimaginable nightmare. They ran onto the street, hearts pounding with fear, and the sight that met their eyes would haunt them forever. Satish lay in a pool of his blood, his kangri still clutched in his hand—a final, futile defence.
The family’s cries of grief mingled with the shocked murmurs of neighbours who had gathered. In that moment, it wasn’t just Satish who died—part of Kashmir’s soul died too.
The Beginning of a Terrible Time
Satish Tickoo’s murder was not an isolated tragedy. It marked the beginning of a wave of violence that would tear apart the fabric of Kashmiri society:
- Over 350,000 Kashmiri Pandits were forced to flee their homes, abandoning centuries of history and culture.
- Ancient communities, some with roots stretching back thousands of years, were uprooted. Families who had lived in Kashmir for generations were scattered across India.
- The rich cultural diversity of Kashmir, built over millennia, was dismantled in a few months.
- The forced exodus of Kashmiri Pandits is one of the largest displacements in recent Indian history—a wound that still affects the entire country.
Justice That Never Came
More than 30 years have passed since that fateful February morning, but for Satish’s family and many others, the pain remains fresh. The quest for justice has been long and frustrating:
The case concerning Satish Tickoo is still under consideration in the Sessions Court. The community holds onto hope that this legal process will result in a just outcome.
The People Behind the Violence
- Bitta Karate didn’t act alone. Behind him and others were a complex network of radical terrorists, extremists, and external supporters. To fully grasp the extent of this tragedy, we must understand the broader network:
- Ashfaq Majeed Wani: A commander in the JKLF, Wani directed individuals like Bitta Karate on whom to target. He was adept at recruiting young people to his violent cause.
- External Influences: Pakistan played a significant role, providing training and weapons to militants. Camps across the border were where young men were indoctrinated with extremist ideologies.
- This network ensured that the violence against Kashmiri Pandits was not random but part of a calculated campaign to reshape Kashmir by forcing out an entire community.
FAQs: The Tragic Fate of Satish Tickoo
Who was Satish Tickoo?
Satish Tickoo was a 22-year-old Kashmiri Pandit and young businessman whose life was tragically taken on February 2, 1990, amid the violence in Kashmir that led to significant upheaval in the region.
What happened on February 2, 1990?
On that day, a brief relaxation of the curfew in Srinagar allowed Satish to step outside, where he was ambushed by an assailant named Bitta Karate. He was shot multiple times, leading to his death and marking the start of widespread violence against the Kashmiri Pandit community.
What was the impact of Satish’s murder on the Kashmiri Pandit community?
Satish Tickoo’s murder signalled the onset of a horrific period for the Kashmiri Pandits, resulting in the forced exodus of over 350,000 individuals from their homes and the disruption of centuries-old cultural and social structures in the valley.
Who was Bitta Karate?
Bitta Karate, whose real name is Farooq Ahmed Dar, was a member of the Jammu Kashmir Liberation Front (JKLF) and responsible for Satish’s murder. He was acting under the directives of Ashfaq Majeed Wani to target Kashmiri Pandits.
Why did Satish’s family initially think the visit was benign?
Satish’s family believed the visitor during the curfew break was seeking assistance or help, not realising the dangerous intentions behind the visit.
What were the circumstances surrounding Satish’s final moments?
On the morning of his death, Satish stepped out wearing a pheran and holding a kangri. He was ambushed just twelve houses from his own home and attempted to defend himself with the kangri but was shot multiple times.
What has been done to seek justice for Satish Tickoo?
More than 30 years after his death, the case regarding Satish’s murder remains under consideration in the Sessions Court, with the community hoping for a just resolution.
What broader implications did Satish’s murder have on Kashmir?
The murder was part of a larger campaign of violence leading to the mass displacement of Kashmiri Pandits and the erosion of Kashmir’s historically rich and diverse cultural landscape.
How has the community reacted to the ongoing search for justice?
The Kashmiri Pandit community continues to express deep pain and frustration over the lack of justice for the violence suffered, with ongoing aspirations for legal accountability.
What role did external influences play in the violence against Kashmiri Pandits?
The violence was fueled by a network of radical terrorists and external supporters, including elements from Pakistan, who trained militants and promoted extremist ideologies targeting the Kashmiri Pandit community.
