In Jammu and Kashmir, Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha today terminated the services of two government employees for their alleged links with terrorist groups, including Lashkar-e-Taiba and Hizbul Mujahideen. An Akashvani Jammu correspondent reports that the dismissals were carried out under Article 311 (2) (c) of the Constitution as part of the administration's "zero-tolerance to terror" policy, aimed at eliminating militant elements from government institutions. Sinha had recently stated that he would not rest until "the last vestiges of the terror cancer are removed from the body of the government apparatus." He had also vowed that security agencies would "completely, decisively, and permanently eradicate the scourge of terrorism." One of those dismissed, Farhat Ali Khanday, a Class-IV employee in the education department in Ramban district, was allegedly working for Hizbul Mujahideen and using his government position as cover to revive militant activities and build networks in the region. He was involved in distributing funds to families of militants. He was arrested in the same year but later secured bail and allegedly continued his activities. The second employee, Mohammad Shafi Dar from Bandipora, was working in the rural development department and had been appointed on compassionate grounds. He was allegedly acting as a terrorist associate of Lashkar-e-Taiba, providing logistical and operational support, including arranging safe houses, facilitating the movement of militants, and sharing sensitive information about security forces. Dar was apprehended in April 2025 during a joint check. Arms and ammunition, including an AK-56 rifle and a grenade, were recovered from his possession. More than 90 government employees with alleged terror links have been dismissed so far in Jammu and Kashmir. Sinha has reiterated the administration's commitment to eliminating terrorism and ensuring that no element inimical to the state operates within the government system.
