J&K Govt sacks 6 employees for alleged terror links

Srinagar: The Jammu and Kashmir Government on Wednesday terminated six more employees for alleged terror links.

Pointing out that those sacked were working as over ground workers of militants, sources said they include two constables, as many teachers, a senior officer of forest department and an employee in R&B department.

While two of them hail from Kishtwar, one each is from Anantnag, , Baramulla , Poonch  and Budgam  districts, sources said.

Their termination order followed recommendations from a designated committee set up by the J&K Government to scrutinize records of employees and recommend under Article 311(2)(c) of the Constitution of India for removal of those with terror links from government service.

Earlier this year, the government had sacked at least eleven of its employeesover same of allegations.

However, those sacked on Wednesday include Hamid Wani of Bijbehara in Anantnag and Liyaqat Ali Kakroo of Baramulla (both teachers), besides Jaffer Hussain Butt of Kishtwar and Showkat Ahmad Khan of Budgam (both constables). The other two include Mohammad Rafi Butt of Kishtwar (junior assistant in Roads and Buildings Department) and Tariq Mehmood Kohli of Poonch (a Range Officer in the Forest Department).

Following are the details of cases against each of them.

1.Ab. Hamid Wani R/o Bijbehara, Anant Nag ( Teacher) : He sas district commander of terrorist outfit Allah Tigers, before being in Government service. He reportedly secured employment without any selection process, by leveraging Jamaat-e-Islami (JeI) influence. A key speaker and organizer in 2016 Chalo Programmes following terrorist Burhan Wani encounter, he propagated secessionist ideology.

2. Jaffer Hussain Butt R/o Kishtwar (Constable): He was arrested by the Police and chargesheeted by NIA in case FIR No. 31/2019 u/s 392 RPC, 7/25 & 30 of Arms Act and section 16, 18, 20, 23 of UA(P) Act 1967 P/S Kishtwar. Presently on bail since September 30, 2019, he had provided his Alto Car to HM terrorists and facilitated their safe movement, according to investigations by NIA.

3. Mohd. Rafi Butt R/o Kishtwar, (Junior Assistant) Road & Building Department: Heallegedlyprovided logistic support to the HM terrorists in Kishtwar and provided them a safe environment to execute terror plans. He was arrested by NIA after his name figured in the FIR, but was later granted bail by the court.

4. Liyaqat Ali Kakroo R/o Baramulla (Teacher): Appointed in 1983, he was arrested in 2001 and some explosive substance was allegedly recovered from his possession. Investigations revealed that he was a locally trained terrorist. An FIR No. 235/2001 was registered against him in 2001. However, next year, huge cache of arms was allegedly recovered from his possession and another FIR registered and he was then detained under PSA also for two years. However, he got acquitted by court in both the cases. In 2021 again, two grenades were recovered from his possession and an FIR was registered against him.

5. Tariq Mehmood Kohli R/o Poonch (Range Officer) Forest Department: Involved in smuggling of illegal arms, ammunition, explosives including hard drugs and Fake Indian Currency Notes (FICN) from Pakistan, he was arrested in 2010 in a FIR No. 26/2010 registered at Poonch Police Station under Sections 2/3 E&IMCO, 120-B, 121, 122 RPC. He is alleged to have remained in touch with active militants and in police records, he is mentioned as OGW (over ground worker), a word used for terrorists’ sympathizers and supporters.

6. Showkat Ahmad Khan R/o Budgam (Constable): He is alleged to be involved in looting weapons from the house of a Member Legislative Council, with whom he had remained posted as a PSO. His name figures in case FIR No. 73/2018 registered at Rajbagh Police Station u/s 392, 120-B RPC, 7/25 I.A Act, 30 Police Act, 03 PEPO Act. He was detained under the J&K Public Safety Act, 1978 on August 8, 2019.