LG Sinha Strikes Again on Terror Elements Within J&K Admin; Teacher, Technician, Driver Among 5 Sacked for Active Terror Roles

Suhail Khan 

Srinagar, Jan 13: In a decisive move targeting the foundational infrastructure of terrorism, Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha on Tuesday terminated five government employees for their established links to terrorist organizations. The action forms part of a sustained, systemic campaign to cleanse the J&K administration of terror-linked elements.

An official order, a copy of which is in possession of Kashmir Convener, details the dismissals. Since 2021, Lieutenant Governor Sinha has discharged more than 85 public servants found to be acting on behalf of terrorist networks.

Over the past five years, LG Sinha has spearheaded a methodical drive to dismantle terror ecosystems in Jammu and Kashmir. His strategy is characterized by a dual policy of unflinching resolve and societal rehabilitation. While aggressively rooting out terrorists and their enablers from official positions, his administration has simultaneously created employment opportunities for genuine victims of terrorism, seeking to balance security imperatives with restorative governance.

Security sources described the dismissed individuals as “sleeper cells” or “time-bombs”—deep-rooted associates planted within the government over decades by terror outfits and Pakistan’s Inter-Services Intelligence (ISI) to subvert the state apparatus and compromise national security.

“Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha initiated a major offensive in 2021 to break the backbone of the terror support structure. This decisive and comprehensive action against all elements, from financiers to facilitators, has effectively dismantled much of the existing terror infrastructure,” revealed senior security officials.

Mohd Ishfaq (Teacher): Appointed as a Rehbar-e-Taleem teacher and later regularized in 2013, Ishfaq was found to be working for the Pakistan-based Lashkar-e-Toiba (LeT). Investigators stated he was in regular contact with LeT commander Mohd Amin, alias Abu Khubaib, a designated individual terrorist. Tasked with assassinating a police officer in Doda in early 2022, he was placed under surveillance and arrested in April 2022 before executing the plan. Arms and ammunition were recovered from him. Police said he exploited his position to radicalize youth. “Despite incarceration, credible intelligence indicates Ishfaq continues to engage in radical activities, indoctrinating fellow inmates,” sources confirmed.

Tariq Ahmad Rah (Lab Technician): Engaged on contract in 2011 and made permanent in 2016 in the Health Department, Rah was posted in Anantnag. Sources revealed his long-standing ties to the Hizb-ul-Mujahideen (HM), facilitated by his uncle, a former HM divisional commander known as Amin Baba. A State Investigation Agency (SIA) probe found Rah facilitated Amin Baba’s stay in Anantnag and arranged his exfiltration to Pakistan via the Attari-Wagah border in 2005. “Amin Baba, now based in Islamabad, coordinates with the ISI, LeT, and JeM to plan operations against India. Since being released on bail, Rah has reportedly resumed his terrorist activities,” sources stated.

Bashir Ahmad Mir (Assistant Lineman, PHE): A government employee since 1988, Mir was an active Overground Worker (OGW) for LeT in Bandipora’s Gurez area, providing logistical support, shelter, and intelligence to terrorists. His role was exposed in September 2021 when two LeT terrorists were neutralized in an operation at his residence, leading to the recovery of two AK-47 rifles and a large cache of ammunition. “Such individuals, embedded deep within the system and drawing a government salary while serving anti-national interests, pose a grave threat to India’s sovereignty,” sources asserted.

Farooq Ahmad Bhat (Field Worker, Forest Department): Bhat actively collaborated with HM and assisted Tariq Rah in facilitating the escape of HM commander Amin Baba. He used his government identity to bypass security checks and transport Amin Baba to the international border. Arrested in 2024 and later granted bail in 2025, he “continues to maintain contact with terrorists and their sympathizers,” according to security sources.

Mohd Yousf (Driver, Health Department): Appointed in 2009 and posted in Srinagar, Yousf was in regular contact with Pakistan-based HM terrorists. On July 20, 2024, police intercepted his vehicle, recovering a pistol, ammunition, a grenade, and ₹5 lakh in cash. Interrogation revealed his involvement in a network procuring arms, transporting funds, and providing mobile phones to jailed terrorists for communication with handlers in Pakistan.

The dismissals were enacted under Article 311 (2) (c) of the Constitution, which permits termination without a formal inquiry in the interest of state security.

“These stringent and continued actions are intended to decisively purge the system of terrorist influence and reinforce the integrity of government institutions,” senior officials affirmed.