Kupwara/Jammu, Aug 22: Jammu and Kashmir Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha on Friday terminated the services of two government employees after investigations established their links with Pakistan-based terror outfit Lashkar-e-Toiba (LeT).
The terminations were made under Article 311(2)(c) of the Constitution, which allows dismissal of government employees without departmental inquiry in the interest of state security.
The dismissed employees include Khurshid Ahmad Rather, a teacher from Karnah, and Siyad Ahmad Khan, Assistant Stockman in the Sheep Husbandry Department posted in Keran, Kupwara.
According to the Sources, Rather—who joined government service in 2003—was working as an overground worker (OGW) for LeT. Reports said he was assigned to procure arms, ammunition, and narcotics from handlers across the Line of Control (LoC) for distribution among active terrorists in the Valley.
He reportedly worked in close contact with Pakistan-based handlers Manzoor Ahmed Sheikh alias Shakoor and Javid Ahmed.
In January 2024, security agencies intercepted a major arms smuggling module, leading to Rather’s arrest. “A subsequent recovery included five MP-5 rifles, an AK-47, two pistols, magazines, and ammunition. He is currently lodged at District Jail, Kupwara”.
Official sources noted the betrayal of trust, observing: “Education shapes a country’s future. Individuals like Khurshid, under the garb of teaching, acted as Pakistani proxies, putting the nation’s security at grave risk.”
Similarly, Siyad Ahmad Khan, appointed in 2004, was found to be aiding LeT by sheltering infiltrating militants, transporting arms, and smuggling narcotics to sustain terror networks. He was arrested in January 2024 at Peer Baba Shrine, Keran, when police and army personnel intercepted him carrying an AK-47. His associate was also found in possession of a pistol and ammunition. Investigations revealed Khan was working under the directions of a Pakistan-based handler, Basharat Ahmed Khan.
Calling such employees “parasites feeding on the government exchequer,” investigators said Khan’s disloyalty terminagedhad caused “colossal damage to society and the country.” He too remains lodged at District Jail, Kupwara.
The LG administration under Manoj Sinha has adopted a zero-tolerance policy towards terrorism and its ecosystem. Officials said the move reflects the government’s resolve to cleanse institutions of individuals involved in anti-national activities, while simultaneously pursuing both security operations and developmental initiatives to stabilize Jammu and Kashmir.
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