SRINAGAR: The Jammu and Kashmir Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha on Tuesday dismissed five government employees, including a teacher and a laboratory technician, for their alleged involvement in anti-national activities by invoking Article 311(2)(c) of the Constitution.
The five employees dismissed from service are Mohammad Ishfaq, a government school teacher; Tariq Ahmad Rah, a laboratory technician; Bashir Ahmad Mir, an assistant lineman; Farooq Ahmad Bhat, a Class IV employee in the Forest Department; and Mohammad Yousuf Kumar, a driver in the Health and Medical Education Department.
Official sources said the decision was taken after security agencies provided credible and sustained intelligence inputs linking the five employees to militant organisations.
According to officials, Mohammad Ishfaq was allegedly working as an Over Ground Worker (OGW) for Lashkar-e-Toiba.
“He was in regular contact with Pakistan-based LeT commander Mohammad Amin alias Abu Khubaib and was tasked with executing the killing of a police officer in Doda in early 2022. Ishfaq was arrested along with another OGW in April 2022 before the plan could be carried out. Police recovered arms and ammunition from their possession, and interrogation revealed that he allegedly exploited his position as a teacher to radicalise and influence youth to join terror groups,” sources said.
Tariq Ahmad Rah, a laboratory technician, allegedly came under the influence of Hizbul Mujahideen at a young age, officials said.
“His uncle, Amin Baba alias Abid, served as a divisional commander of HM between 1998 and 2005. Investigations revealed that Tariq facilitated Baba’s stay in Anantnag and later helped arrange his transportation to the Attari-Wagah border during his escape to Pakistan in 2005. Tariq was arrested under the UAPA but was later released on bail,” they said.
Intelligence agencies have claimed that he resumed terror-related activities after his release.
Officials said Bashir Ahmad Mir, an assistant lineman, allegedly functioned as an OGW for LeT in the Gurez area of Bandipora district.
“He facilitated militant activities in Gurez by providing logistical support to militants, guided their movement, shared information about security forces and offered shelter to them. His role came to light in September 2021 when two militants were killed during an encounter at his house. He was arrested but later granted medical bail,” they said.
Farooq Ahmad Bhat, a field worker in the Forest Department, was accused of working with HM.
“He was also informally serving as a personal assistant to a former MLA with alleged militant links,” official sources said.
He is also accused of helping HM commander Amin Baba escape. Farooq was arrested in 2024 and secured bail in 2025.
Mohammad Yousuf Kumar, a driver in the Health and Medical Education Department, was allegedly in contact with Pakistan-based HM handler Bashir Ahmad Bhat.
Official sources said he was involved in procuring arms and transporting funds in central Kashmir’s Ganderbal district. “In July 2024, police recovered a pistol, ammunition, a grenade and Rs 5 lakh in cash from a vehicle in which he was travelling”.
Since 2021, Lieutenant Governor Sinha has terminated the services of more than 85 government employees for alleged involvement in anti-national activities. The dismissals have taken place despite the elected government questioning the policy of sacking employees without a departmental inquiry.
Under the proviso (c) of Article 311(2) of the Constitution, the government is empowered to terminate an employee without following the usual procedure if it is satisfied that the person’s continuation in public service is prejudicial to the security of the state.