Jammu and Kashmir sacks five officials over alleged terror links

The administration in the Indian-controlled region of Jammu and Kashmir has dismissed five government employees after investigations alleged they were linked to militant organisations, according to officials.

The terminations were ordered by the Lieutenant Governor of Jammu and Kashmir, Manoj Sinha, as part of what authorities describe as a wider campaign to remove individuals suspected of supporting militant groups from public institutions.

Officials said the five dismissals bring the total number of government employees removed on similar grounds to 85 since 2021. The action, they added, was aimed at dismantling what they called the “terror ecosystem” and preventing its penetration into state structures.

The latest dismissals were carried out under Article 311(2)(c) of the Indian Constitution. This provision allows the removal of a civil servant without a formal departmental inquiry if the president or a governor or lieutenant governor is satisfied that holding such an inquiry would not be in the interest of state security. The use of this clause has been legally upheld in cases involving national security concerns, although it bypasses the usual safeguards available to public servants.

According to official records, those dismissed include Mohammad Ishfaq, a government school teacher; Tariq Ahmad Shah, a laboratory technician in the health department; Bashir Ahmad Mir, an assistant lineman; Farooq Ahmad Bhat, a field worker in the forest department; and Mohammad Yousuf, a driver with the health and medical education department.

Officials allege that Mohammad Ishfaq had links with Lashkar-e-Toiba, a Pakistan-based militant organisation that is banned in India and designated as a terrorist group by several countries. Investigators claim he was in regular contact with a senior Lashkar-e-Toiba commander operating from across the border.

According to the investigation dossier, Ishfaq was assigned what officials described as an “active operational role” and was tasked with carrying out the killing of a police officer in the Doda district in early 2022. Security agencies said his activities were placed under surveillance, and he was arrested in April 2022 before the alleged plan could be carried out.

Sources involved in the investigation claimed Ishfaq exploited his position as a teacher to spread radical ideology among young people. One official said he was considered a “critical asset” for the militant group because of his access to students, and alleged that he continued to attempt radicalisation efforts even while in custody.

Tariq Ahmad Shah is accused of having longstanding links with the militant group Hizbul Mujahideen. Officials said his name emerged during a probe by the State Investigation Agency into the escape of a senior Hizbul Mujahideen commander to Pakistan in 2005. Investigators allege that Shah facilitated the commander’s stay in southern Kashmir and later helped arrange his movement towards the international border.

An official familiar with the inquiry said Shah’s actions were seen as directly enabling the escape of a wanted militant leader, who authorities say continues to operate from Pakistan.

Bashir Ahmad Mir, who worked as an assistant lineman, is accused of acting as an overground worker for Lashkar-e-Toiba in the Gurez region of northern Kashmir. Overground workers are civilians who are alleged to provide logistical support, shelter, and information to militants. Officials said Mir’s role came to light in 2021 after security forces launched an operation at his home, where two armed militants were later killed. Weapons and ammunition were reportedly recovered during the operation.

Authorities said Farooq Ahmad Bhat was linked to Hizbul Mujahideen and had assisted in facilitating militant movement by using his government identity to bypass security checks. Investigators also alleged that he had informal links with a former regional legislator accused of having militant sympathies. Officials said Bhat was arrested in 2024 and later released on bail, but they claim he remained in contact with militant networks.

Mohammad Yousuf, a government driver, is accused of maintaining contact with militants based in Pakistan and of helping with logistical tasks, including the movement of funds and weapons. Police said that in 2024 he was detained after officers recovered a firearm, ammunition, and cash from a vehicle in which he was travelling. During questioning, investigators allege he admitted receiving instructions from handlers across the border.

Officials said the dismissals form part of a sustained security policy since the revocation of Jammu and Kashmir’s special constitutional status in 2019, after which the region was placed under direct federal administration. The government has since tightened security laws and expanded surveillance, arguing that these steps are necessary to curb militancy.

Rights groups have previously raised concerns about the lack of due process in dismissals under Article 311(2)(c), warning that the provision leaves limited scope for legal redress. The government, however, maintains that the measure is used sparingly and only in cases involving credible security threats.

The Jammu and Kashmir administration said it would continue to review cases of government employees suspected of militant links, stressing that public institutions must not be used to undermine security or stability in the region.