Srinagar (Jammu and Kashmir) [India], April 10 (ANI): Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha has ordered the dismissal of two employees of the Jammu and Kashmir government over their alleged terror links, sources said on Thursday.

The sacked employees have been identified as Ishtiyaq Ahmad Malik, senior assistant of the Public Works Department (PWD), and Basharat Ahmad Mir, assistant wireless operator in J&K Police, they said.

According to the sources, their dismissal was executed invoking Article 311 (2) (c) of the Constitution. Sinha has consistently demonstrated a strong stance against terrorism and its supporting ecosystem. Since taking office, he has emphasized a zero-tolerance policy toward terrorism, focusing on dismantling the networks that sustain it, including those providing ideological, financial, and logistical support.

Malik was appointed in 2000, and despite being a government employee, he started 'working for Jamat-e-Islami and Hizbul Mujahideen,' a proscribed organisation banned by India, the USA, and the European Union, sources said.

'He facilitated the creation of a network of sympathisers who later became Over Ground Workers (OGWs) and foot soldiers of the Hizbul Mujahideen terror outfit. He was also providing food, shelter and other logistics to the terrorists, besides sharing information related to the movement of security forces and aiding transportation of arms and ammunition. He played a key role in abetting terrorist activities in South Kashmir,' sources said.

It has been learnt that Malik's terror link came to the fore during the investigation of a case related to Hizbul terrorist Mohammad Ishaq. Ishaq was arrested on May 5, 2022, and during the interrogation, he revealed that Malik was providing shelter, food and logistics to terrorists. Subsequently, he was arrested on May 17, 2022 and charge sheeted along with Ishaq under Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act (UAPA).

'During interrogation, government employee Ishtiyaq Malik also revealed that he played a key role in organising mob for street violence, arson and hartals after killing of Hizbul terrorist Burhan Wani. On July 9, 2016, Malik led a violent mob armed with stones, petrol bombs and sticks and attacked the Larnoo Police post. It starkly reveals his mindset, motivation and allegiance towards terrorist organisations,' sources further said.

The second sacked government employee, Basharat Ahmad Mir, was appointed as a police constable operator in 2010 and remained posted in various units of J&K Police till 2017.

Sometime in late 2017, Basharat and other Police Constable Operators were laid off after a court ruling. However, in 2018, he was again appointed as a Wireless Assistant after a subsequent court ruling. In December 2023, credible inputs were received that Basharat was in touch with a Pakistani Intelligence operative and was sharing critical and vital information with the adversary, sources said.

'He was posted at a hypersensitive establishment, which is highly vulnerable to espionage attacks from adversaries, and therefore, his dismissal was the only option to safeguard the integrity and sovereignty of the nation,' sources said.

So far, more than 70 government employees with terror links have been dismissed by Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha. His approach aligns with the broader security strategy of the Indian government under Prime Minister Narendra Modi, which prioritizes neutralizing terrorists and their sympathizers to establish lasting peace in Jammu Kashmir.

Recently, the Lieutenant Governor had directed J&K police to hunt down terrorists and their aides, emphasizing that terrorism was breathing its last in the UT. Lieutenant Governor Sinha has complemented these efforts with the industrialization of Jammu & Kashmir and developmental schemes aimed at isolating the terror ecosystem. (ANI)