J&K administration dismisses 4 employees, 2 cops over 'terror links'
The Jammu and Kashmir administration on Wednesday dismissed six government employees over their alleged links to terror groups. The sacked employees are alleged to have served as overground workers for the terror groups. The removal is considered a bold step to thwart the terror support base in the Kashmir Valley. The decision came after a designated committee in J&K recommended their removal.
Sacked employees included 2 cops, teachers: Reports
Among those sacked include two cops, two teachers, a senior officer of the forest department, and an R&B department employee, Hindustan Times reported. Two of those sacked are from the Kishtwar district, and one each belongs to Anantnag, Baramulla, Poonch, and Budgam districts. Their names are Hamid Wani, Jaffer Hussain Butt, Md Rafi Butt, Liyakat Ali Kakroo, Tariq Mehmood Kohli, and Showkat Ahmad Khan.
What are the allegations against them?
According to the police, Hamid Wani was the district commander of the terrorist outfit Allah Tigers, before being in government service. He was a key speaker and organizer in the Chalo Programmes following the encounter of Burhan Wani. Jaffer H Butt was on bail after he was arrested by the police and charge-sheeted by the NIA. He allegedly facilitated safe movement for HM terrorists.
Kakroo is a locally-trained terrorist: Police
Kakroo was arrested in 2001 and is a locally-trained terrorist, the police said. Rafi Butt allegedly provided logistic support to the HM terrorists in Kishtwar. Kohli was allegedly involved in the smuggling of illegal arms, ammunition, and currency from Pakistan. Khan has been involved in looting weapons from the house of an MLC, with whom he had remained posted as a PSO.
Their removal came after designated committee recommended their names
The six were dismissed after a designated committee in J&K recommended their names. The designated committee scrutinizes and recommends cases under Article 311(2)(c) of the Constitution. This provision gives the government the power to sack employees without an inquiry if "the President or the Governor...is satisfied that in the interest of the security of the State, it is not expedient to hold such inquiry."
J&K administration had issued instructions to verify government employees
The dismissal order came days after the J&K administration had issued an instruction, making it mandatory to have periodic verification of the character and antecedents of government employees. The instruction also made it clear that government employees have to maintain absolute integrity, honesty, and allegiance to the Union of India and its Constitution.
No passport without vigilance clearance: J&K administration
Last week, the J&K administration had also made vigilance clearance mandatory for government servants for their passports. It had said that government employees need to obtain vigilance clearance from their respective departments for passport issuance.
J&K administration sacked 11 employees in July
Notably, this is not the first instance of dismissal of government employees over alleged terror links. This July, the government had dismissed 11 of its employees, including the sons of Hizbul Mujahideen chief Syed Salahuddin and two from the police department. The sacked employees belonged to J&K Police, education, agriculture, skill development, power and health departments, and the Sher-I-Kashmir Institute of Medical Sciences (SKIMS).
