J&K L-G terminates services of five govt employees for 'terror' links

Jammu, Jan 13 In a major strike against the terror ecosystem, Jammu and Kashmir Lt. Governor Manoj Sinha, on Tuesday, terminated the services of five government employees, allegedly for their established terror links, official sources said here.

Five government employees who got terminated were Mohd Ishfaq (teacher), Tariq Ahmad Rah (lab technician), Bashir Ahmad Mir (Assistant Lineman), Farooq Ahmad Bhat (Field Worker, Forest Dept), and Mohd Yousuf (Driver, Health and Medical Education Department).

Mohd Ishfaq: Appointed as Rehbar-e-Taleem in the School Education Department, Ishfaq was confirmed as a Teacher in 2013.

According to the investigators, Ishfaq was working for Pakistan-based terror outfit Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT) and was in regular contact with Mohd Amin alias Abu Khubaib, a terrorist operating from Pakistan.

"Ishfaq was tasked to execute the killing of a Police Officer in Doda in early 2022. He was arrested in April 2022 by the Jammu and Kashmir Police before he could execute the plan with the help of an OGW based in Marheen. After the arrest of Ishfaq and his associate, police recovered arms and ammunition, and sustained interrogation revealed that Ishfaq exploited his position as a teacher and influenced youth to join terror groups," the sources said.

"Ishfaq, being a teacher with unhindered access to young and impressionable minds was a critical asset of LeT. We have received inputs that despite being in Jail, Ishfaq continues to indulge in radical activities by indoctrinating jail inmates," the sources revealed.

Tariq Ahmad Rah: Appointed as a Lab technician on a contractual basis in 2011, he was regularised in the Health Department in Sub-District Hospital, Bijbehera, Anantnag in 2016.

Sources revealed that "Tariq came under the influence of the terror outfit Hizb-ul-Mujahideen (HM) right from a very young age. One of his relatives (Uncle) Amin baba alias Abid, was also Divisional Commander of HM from 1998-2005."

According to investigators, Tariq's "terror link" emerged during the State Investigation Agency (SIA) probe into the escape of Amin Baba to Pakistan in 2005.

The investigation of the case was transferred to SIA in September 2023.

The probe revealed that Tariq facilitated the stay of Amin Baba in Anantnag and later arranged his transportation to the Attari-Wagah border.

"Tariq ensured the exfiltration of a wanted terrorist across an international border. Due to his conspiracy, Amin Baba successfully crossed over to Pakistan and is currently operating from there for carrying out terrorist activities in India," sources said.

"It is learnt that Amin Baba is currently based in Islamabad, and according to intelligence inputs, he attends regular meetings with ISI, LeT and JeM terrorists. He is responsible not only for training HM cadres in PoJK terror camps but also recruit new youth into the terror folds, and planning and executing terrorist operations from Pakistan," the sources added.

After his role was unearthed, Tariq was arrested by the police under UAPA and later granted bail.

Credible intelligence inputs indicate that after being released on bail, Tariq resumed his terror activities and continues to remain in contact with terrorists and their supporters, sources revealed.

Bashir Ahmad Mir: He joined the Public Health Engineering (PHE) Department as an Assistant Lineman in 1988 and was regularised in 1996.

"Despite being a government employee, Bashir became an active OGW of LeT in the Gurez area of Bandipora.

Bashir was covertly facilitating terrorist activities in the hinterland of Gurez since long by guiding the movement of terrorists, providing logistical support, sharing information on the movement of security forces and providing shelter to terrorists. His role came to light in September 2021 when police received inputs that two LeT terrorists were hiding in Bashir's house."

"Anti-terror ops were launched, and both the terrorists were neutralised in Bashir's house. Two AK-47 and large cache of ammunition was also recovered. He was arrested and later given medical bail by the court. Individuals like Bashir.

"Embedded deep within the government system, drawing salaries from the Indian exchequer while covertly serving the enemy, pose a dangerous threat to the sovereignty and integrity of India," the sources said.

Farooq Ahmad Bhat: Despite serving as a field worker in the Forest Department in Anantnag, he started actively working with the terror outfit Hizb-ul-Mujahideen. He was also informally working as a personal assistant to a former MLA with ties to HM.

Farooq, the investigators said, helped Tariq to plan and execute the escape of HM Commander Amin Baba to Pakistan. He used his government identity card to avoid security checks on Naka's and dropped Amin Baba at the international border.

"In this conspiracy, the former MLA provided an official government vehicle with his personal security officers and driver. Farooq was arrested in 2024 and later got bail in 2025 from the court. But his terrorist activities have not stopped. He continues to maintain contact with terrorists and their sympathisers," the sources said.

Mohd Yousuf: Appointed as a driver in 2009 and posted at Bemina, Srinagar, he was in regular contact with terrorists, particularly Pakistan-based HM terrorist Bashir Ahmad Bhat.

"On the direction of Bashir, Yousuf established links with HM cadres and operatives sitting in Pakistan and entrusted with core tasks, including procurement of arms and ammunition and transporting funds in the areas of Ganderbal District. On July 20, 2024, police intercepted a vehicle in which Yousf and his associate Eashan Hamid were travelling and recovered a pistol, ammunition, a grenade and Rs 5 lakh in Indian currency," sources said.

"During the sustained interrogation, Yousuf revealed that he received the consignment at the direction of his Pakistani handler, and it was supposed to be delivered to a terrorist. Yousuf further revealed that he was actively involved in providing operational logistics to terrorists using his official position as a hospital driver," the sources added.

"He was also part of a network which provided phones to jailed terrorists to establish communication with Pakistan-based terrorists," the sources added.

The sources indicated that the L-G's action is intended to purge the system of terrorist influence.

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