J&K LG Manoj Sinha Terminates Services Of 5 Govt Employees Over ‘Terror Links’

Srinagar: In a major action against the terror ecosystem and infrastructure within government machinery, Jammu and Kashmir Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha on Tuesday terminated five government employees over alleged terror links, according to officials.

Sources said these active associates were planted into the government machinery by terror outfits and the Pakistan ISI. They infiltrated the administration over the last several decades to weaken the government machinery and to jeopardise national security.

The five employees were terminated under Article 311 (2) (c) of the Constitution.

The terminated employees include a teacher who, according to the investigators, was working for Pakistan-based terror outfit Lashkar-e-Toiba (LeT). As per sources, he was arrested in April 2022 by the Jammu and Kashmir Police before he could execute a plan against the police.

The other employees include a lab technician allegedly linked to Hizb-ul-Mujahideen (HM), an assistant lineman connected to LeT, a field worker in the Forest Department allegedly linked to HM, and a driver in the Health and Medical Education Department.

"However, Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha launched a major offensive in 2021 to expose and break the backbone of the terror ecosystem. From financiers to foot soldiers, his decisive and widespread action against all the elements dismantled the terror infrastructure to a large extent," sources within the security agencies revealed.

Since 2021, the Jammu and Kashmir LG has terminated the services of more than 85 government employees who were found to be working for terrorist groups.

Sources indicated that the action is intended to purge the system of terrorist influence. "The strict actions by Sinha would cleanse the government machinery and reinforce its integrity," sources said.

This comes after Union Home Minister Amit Shah on Thursday directed all security forces to "continue counter terror operations targeting terrorist infrastructure and terror financing in a mission mode," chairing a high-level security review meeting on Jammu and Kashmir.

Shah also directed all security agencies to "remain alert and continue to work in synergy to ensure that the gains achieved after abrogation of Article 370 are sustained and we achieve the goal of 'terror-free J&K' at the earliest."

The Home Minister also assured that "all the resources will be made available in this endeavour."

The minister further said that, under the leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, the Central government is committed to establishing lasting peace in Jammu and Kashmir and completely eliminating terrorism, according to a statement from the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) quoting Shah.

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