J&K Govt axes six more "terror-friendly" employees; expose constables, teachers working as OGW [details]

Continuing action against the public servants indulged in anti-national activities, the Jammu and Kashmir Government on Wednesday sacked six more terror-friendly employees. These employees were working as overground workers (OGWs) for various terror outfits active in different parts of Jammu and Kashmir.

Shockingly, those terminating from government services include two constables of Jammu and Kashmir Police and their direct involvement in the terror activities have been established by the investigating agencies.

Two teachers and an officer of the Forest Department, and an employee of Roads and Buildings (R&B) departments were among those who were sacked after for terror links.

Directly involved in terror activities

All the six employees sacked by the J&K Government on Wednesday were directly involved in terror activities. Sharing details about the terminated employees, the official sources revealed that serious terror-related cases have already been registered against these employees.

• Abdul Hamid Wani, a resident of Bijbehara, Anantnag, serving as a teacher, was district commander of terror outfit Allah Tigers before joined the government service. He got a government job with the influence of Jammat-e-Islami (JeI). Infamous for propagating secessionist ideology, Wani was a key organizer of Chalo Programmes following the killing of Hizbul Mujahideen terrorist Burhan Wani.
• Jaffer Hussain Butt of Kishtwar, a constable in Jammu and Kashmir Police, was arrested by the police and chargesheeted by National Investigating Agency (NIA) in case FIR No. 31/2019 u/s 392 RPC, 7/25 & 30 of Arms Act and section 16, 18, 20, 23 of UA(P) Act 1967 Police Station Kishtwar. Butt, who is on bail, has provided his car to HM terrorists and facilitated their safe movement. The NIA has established its involvement in terror activities.
• Mohammed Rafi Butt of Kishtwar, who is a junior assistant in Roads & Buildings Department has provided logistic support to the HM terrorists in Kishtwar and provided them a safe environment to execute terror plans. He figures in the FIR registered by NIA was arrested and is presently on bail.
• Liyaqat Ali Kakroo resident of Baramulla, a government teacher, is a hardcore terrorist. Appointed as a teacher in 1983, Kakroo was arrested in 2001 which revealed that he was a locally trained terrorist. An explosive substance was recovered from his possession. Detained under Public Safety Act (PSA) also for two years in 2002. Acquitted by Court in both cases. In 2021 again, two grenades were recovered from his possession.
• Tariq Mehmood Kohli resident of Poonch is a Range Officer in the Forest Department. He was involved in the smuggling of illegal arms, ammunition, explosives including hard drugs, and Fake Indian Currency Notes (FICN) from Pakistan. An OGW in the police record, Kohli reminded in touch with active terrorists. He was arrested under FIR No. 26/2010 U/S 2/3 E&IMCO, 120-B, 121, 122 RPC of P/S Poonch.
• Constable Showkat Ahmad Khan resident Budgam was involved in looting weapons from the house of a Member Legislative Council (MLCs), with whom he had remained posted as a PSO. Khan Figures in case FIR No. 73/2018 u/s 392, 120-B RPC, 7/25 I.A Act, 30 Police Act, 03 PEPO Act was registered at Police Station Rajbagh. He was also detained under the J&K Public Safety Act, 1978 on August 8, 2019.

Designated Committee recommends dismissal of these employees

The designated committee in J&K UT for scrutinizing and recommending cases under Article 311(2)(c) of the Constitution of India recommended the dismissal of six employees from the Government service for having terror links and working as OGWs.

These employees have been terminated from service under sub-clause (c) of the provision of clause (2) of Article 311 of the Constitution of India in the interest of the nation. The designated committee was constituted to single-out terror friendly employees in the Union Territory of J&K.

Panel constituted to single-out 'terror friendly' employees

As reported earlier, the Jammu and Kashmir government, on April 21 this year, had announced the formation of a Special Task Force (STF) to identify and scrutinize government employees with links to activities that pose threat to national security.

The SFT is headed by J&K's intelligence chief, who served for a decade in the Research and Analysis Wing before returning to J&K. The panel has been assigned the job to compile records of such employees and refer the same to the committee already constituted in the month of July 2020. The panel has also engaged other members of the Terror Monitoring Group (TMG) for identifying such other employees.

Earlier two sons of Sayeed Salahudin were also terminated

In July this year, the Jammu and Kashmir government had sacked 11 employees including two sons of the terror outfit Hizbul Mujahideen's self-styled 'supreme commander' Sayeed Salahuddin.

Two sons of Sayeed Salahuddin namely Syed Ahmad Shakeel and Shahid Yousuf were sacked from government service after the panel had established their involvement in terror funding. Since April this year, the J&K government has dismissed 21 employees under this Act. Some employees have challenged this termination in the courts.

In April this year, the Lieutenant Governor's administration had sacked a naib-Tehsildar, Nazir Ahmad Wani, who was also involved in anti-India activities.

Earlier Idress Jan, a teacher was dismissed from service under sub-clause (c) of the provision of clause (2) of Article 311 of the Constitution of India.

Invoking this Article, Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha had earlier dismissed Deputy Superintendent of Police Davinder Singh from services "in the interest of the security of the state".

Two teachers namely Bashir Ahmad Sheikh son of Ghulam Mohammad Sheikh of Village Dildar Batpora in Karnah area of Kupwara, Teacher in the Education Department, Mohammad Yousuf Ganie son of Ghulam Qadir Ganie of Trich Kupwara, also Teacher in Education Department and Abdul Bari Naik, Assistant Professor, Geography, Government Degree College, Women, Udhampur were dismissed under the same article.