J&K LG sacks 5 govt staff for alleged terror links, total dismissals reach 85

Jammu and Kashmir Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha on Tuesday ordered the termination of five government employees for their alleged active links with banned terrorist organisations. The action is part of an ongoing crackdown aimed at dismantling terror networks operating within government institutions.

Officials said the five were dismissed after surveillance and intelligence inputs established their involvement with terror outfits. Since 2020, the Jammu and Kashmir administration has terminated the services of 85 government employees found to be working for or aiding terrorist groups.

The dismissed employees include a teacher, a laboratory technician, an assistant lineman, a forest department field worker and a driver in the Health and Medical Education Department. Authorities said their roles ranged from providing logistical support to facilitating movement, communication and operations of terrorists.

The terminations were carried out under Article 311(2)(c) of the Constitution, which allows dismissal without a formal inquiry if it is deemed necessary in the interest of state security. Officials said holding regular inquiries in such cases could compromise national security.

According to reports, some of the dismissed employees were acting as overground workers for terror outfits, maintaining direct contact with handlers based in Pakistan and assisting in activities such as arms procurement, sheltering militants and fund movement. The administration said the action underscores its zero-tolerance approach towards terrorism.