Lieutenant Governor of Jammu and Kashmir Manoj Sinha has ordered the dismissal of five government employees found to have links with militant organisations, officials said. The terminated employees include a teacher, a laboratory technician, an assistant lineman, a field worker, and a driver, who were allegedly involved in providing support to banned groups such as Lashkar-e-Taiba and Hizb-ul-Mujahideen.
According to officials, the employees exploited their government positions to aid militants while receiving salaries from the state. Mohd Ishfaq, a teacher in the School Education Department, was reportedly in contact with a Pakistan-based Lashkar-e-Taiba commander and was assigned operational tasks, including planning the killing of a police officer in Doda in 2022. Officials said he influenced students to join militant groups and continued radical activities even while in custody. “He used his position as a teacher to spread radical ideology and motivate youth towards militancy,” sources revealed.
Tariq Ahmad Shah, a laboratory technician in the Health Department, was linked to Hizb-ul-Mujahideen from a young age. Officials said that he showed he helped a wanted HM commander, Amin Baba, escape to Pakistan, where Baba now trains militants and recruits new members. “After his release on bail, Tariq resumed militant activities and remains in contact with militants,” officials said.
Bashir Ahmad Mir, an assistant lineman, provided shelter to militants and shared intelligence on security forces in the Gurez area. In 2021, two militants hiding in his house were neutralised during an anti-militant operation, with rifles and ammunition recovered, they said.
Farooq Ahmad Bhat, a Forest Department field worker, also assisted in Amin Baba’s escape to Pakistan and used his official ID to bypass security checks. Officials said he maintained links with militants even after his arrest and subsequent bail.
Mohd Yousf, a driver in the Health Department, was involved in procuring arms and funds for militant operations. Police intercepted him with a pistol, grenade, ammunition, and cash, which he said were to be delivered to militants in Pakistan. Officials said he also helped jailed militants communicate with handlers across the border.
Authorities credited Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha with leading decisive measures against militancy in the region. “From financiers to foot soldiers, his widespread action dismantled the militant infrastructure to a large extent,” they said.
