Jammu, June 2025 — In a decisive step to clamp down on terrorism in Jammu and Kashmir, J&K Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha has dismissed three government employees for their alleged involvement with proscribed terrorist outfits Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT) and Hizb-ul-Mujahideen, as confirmed by officials on Tuesday.

Since assuming office in August 2020, Manoj Sinha has firmly focused on dismantling not just the visible layers of terrorism, but also the deeper support structures that enable its survival. His administration has adopted a zero-tolerance approach towards overground workers (OGWs) and sympathisers infiltrating the system. “Sinha has ensured aggressive counter-terrorism operations, with security forces neutralizing hundreds of terrorists in Jammu and Kashmir between 2020 and 2024 and termination of more than 75 OGW/Terror associates from the government jobs under Article 311(2)(c) of the Indian Constitution.” His intent is crystal clear — to “root out terrorism and their support structures,” holding everyone accountable, from those who carry arms to those who silently facilitate violence behind desks.

The latest crackdown saw the dismissal of a police constable, a school teacher, and a junior assistant from a government medical college, all under Article 311(2)(c). This constitutional provision permits the termination of services without formal inquiry “in the interest of national security.” All three individuals are presently lodged in jail, signifying the serious nature of their involvement.

These dismissals bring the total number of government employees terminated over terror links to more than 75, making it one of the most extensive internal purges carried out in the region’s bureaucratic framework.

According to official sources, “the action is part of the administration’s continued crackdown on terror infrastructure, including overground workers (OGWs) and sympathisers embedded within government institutions.” By cleansing the state apparatus of hidden enablers, the government aims to restore public trust and ensure no room is left for militant collaboration within its ranks.

The employees removed from service were identified as Malik Ishfaq Naseer, a police constable; Ajaz Ahmed, a teacher with the school education department; and Waseem Ahmad Khan, a junior assistant in Government Medical College, Srinagar.

A senior security official explained the gravity of the situation: “The government employees fired by the Lieutenant Governor were actively working for the terror outfits and helping terrorists to execute terror attacks on security forces and civilians. ‘Having a mole and a dangerous terrorist associate in the ranks of police and other government department is a huge threat a continuation of which can be extremely expensive for the sovereignty and integrity of the nation,’” he warned.

The dismissed individuals weren’t passive sympathisers — they were “active terror collaborators,” said the same official. Their alleged activities included logistics management, arms smuggling, and directly assisting terror groups in launching attacks on Indian security forces and civilians alike.

One of the most alarming revelations surrounds Constable Malik Ishfaq Naseer, who had been serving in the police department since 2007. His name surfaced during an arms smuggling probe in 2021, sparking serious concerns. Even more troubling, his brother Malik Asif was a Pakistan-trained LeT militant, who was killed in 2018. Despite this, Naseer allegedly continued his allegiance to the group while still in uniform, exploiting his position to further terror agendas.

J-K: Cop, Teacher Among 3 Govt Staffers Sacked Over Terror Links With LeT, Hizb-ul-Mujahideen (Part 2)

The depth of betrayal uncovered in the case of Constable Malik Ishfaq Naseer continues to shock even seasoned investigators. Though his brother was killed by security forces during an encounter in 2018, Malik’s own activities did not stop. Instead, he allegedly “continued his terror activities with impunity and being police constable he was able to evade any suspicion.” His cover as a law enforcement officer allowed him to operate freely and avoid attention — even as he was actively collaborating with Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT).

His covert alliance with the LeT came into public view in September 2021, when an investigation by the Jammu and Kashmir Police into an arms and explosives smuggling case in the Jammu region led to his exposure. Authorities were disturbed to find that “Malik’s despite being the police constable, who took oath to protect the integrity of India, was helping terror outfit LeT to drop arms, explosives and narcotics.” These deadly consignments were not random — they were precisely directed, guided by GPS technology, and “dropped at a pre-shared coordinates facilitated by Malik to Pakistani terrorists and his handlers.”

A senior officer further explained the strategic role Malik played: “He used his position to identify safe drop locations for arms, explosives, and narcotics, and shared GPS coordinates with Pakistani handlers.” Even more disturbingly, Malik was not only arranging these drops, but also “allegedly distributed these consignments to active terrorists in Jammu and Kashmir.” His direct involvement in supplying arms and support made him an essential cog in the terror machinery operating across the region.

This dangerous betrayal was reiterated in more alarming detail: “He was not only identifying the safe location, sharing the coordinates with LeT handlers in Pakistan but he was also collecting and distributing arms and ammunition to terrorists in Jammu and Kashmir region enabling them to carry out terrorist attacks on security forces and civilians,” said a senior security official.

The weight of Malik’s disloyalty went far beyond neglecting duty. “He said that instead of helping the police department in fighting the terror which he was mandated for, he chose to be a mole and a collaborator and betrayed his oath and uniform.” Such a grave breach of trust left scars on not just the institution, but the very fabric of society. “His betrayal of the oath and uniform has caused grave damage to the department, society and the nation,” the official added.

Reiterating the scale of this treachery, the officer emphasized: “Malik’s disloyalty towards the nation and department by becoming an accomplice and a ring leader of LeT terror outfit has wreaked colossal damage to the department, society and the nation.”

The revelations don’t end with Malik. The second dismissed employee, Ajaz Ahmed, joined the School Education Department in 2011. His case is just as chilling. He was found smuggling arms, ammunition, and Hizb-ul-Mujahideen propaganda material. He was arrested during a routine police check in November 2023, a moment that inadvertently exposed a long-running terror link.

According to the investigation, “the arms were meant for militants operating in Kashmir, sent by his handler Abid Ramzan Sheikh, a Hizb-ul-Mujahideen operative based in Pakistan-occupied Kashmir.” The findings suggested that Ajaz had been involved in such activities for several years, establishing him as a trusted terror associate of the Hizb-ul-Mujahideen, especially active in the Poonch region.

Further details revealed he was deeply involved in transporting arms, ammunition, and narcotics for the group. His links were unmistakably exposed when he and his associate were intercepted by police. “The terror link with Hizb-ul-Mujahideen was exposed in November 2023 when police arrested Ajaz Ahmed and his friend during a routine check. Both were carrying arms, ammunition and posters of Hizb-ul-Mujahideen in his car Toyota Fortuner.” The large vehicle served as a carrier for high-risk contraband.

The consignment found in his possession was not random. “Further investigation had revealed that consignment was received on the direction of his handler Abid Ramzan Sheikh, an HM’s terrorist in PoJK.” His task was to deliver it to active militants in Kashmir, enabling attacks on Indian forces and civilians. The scope of his operations shocked authorities. “Investigation further revealed that Ajaz had been receiving huge consignment of arms & ammunition for past many years and delivering it to terrorists in Kashmir valley.”

The third government employee dismissed, Waseem Ahmad Khan, served as a junior assistant at Government Medical College, Srinagar, having joined in 2007. His alleged terror involvement runs deep, too. He was reportedly a key player in a deadly plot — “part of a terror plot that led to the assassination of journalist Shujaat Bukhari and his security personnel in June 2018,” as revealed by a senior officer.

The officer also claimed that Khan was associated with both LeT and Hizb-ul-Mujahideen, making him a double collaborator. He is accused of having provided logistical support for the attack, and even more alarmingly, “allegedly accompanied the terrorists and helped them escape after the shooting.” Such a role indicates foreknowledge, complicity, and deliberate facilitation of a high-profile political murder.

Khan was eventually arrested in August 2018, during a separate investigation into a terror attack in Srinagar’s Batmaloo area. His arrest closed a loop in the Shujaat Bukhari case, while also exposing the infiltration of militant collaborators into medical institutions.

These terminations are part of Lieutenant Governor Sinha’s ongoing mission to clean government institutions of terror links. Since he took charge in August 2020, his strategy has remained unwavering. “Over 75 government employees with terror links have been dismissed so far,” officials confirmed.

To tighten internal control, the administration has taken preventive steps. “Officials said the administration has tightened the vetting of government recruits, making police verification mandatory.” This mandatory scrutiny is intended to prevent future sabotage from within. “This has reduced internal sabotage risks and instilled fear among potential sympathizers,” said a senior official.

The broader goal behind these measures is long-term and systemic. “The LG’s multi-pronged strategy — targeting terrorists, disruptors, and their enablers in government — has significantly weakened terror networks in the Union territory,” the official added.