A Deepening Crackdown Under Manoj Sinha: Three Government Employees Dismissed in J&K Over Terror Links

Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha intensifies the purge of terror sympathizers from public institutions. Three officials are dismissed for aiding terror outfits.

Crackdown on Terror Links Within Government

Jammu and Kashmir Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha has made a decisive move to root out internal threats. He has terminated the services of three government employees. They are accused of having ties with Pakistan-based terror groups Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT) and Hizbul Mujahideen (HM). This action is part of an ongoing effort to dismantle terror support systems operating within the administration.

The dismissed individuals include Malik Ishfaq Naseer, who is a J&K Police Constable. Ajaz Ahmed is a school teacher. Waseem Ahmad Khan is a junior assistant at Government Medical College, Srinagar. They are currently incarcerated. They are facing serious charges of facilitating terrorism.

A Broader Strategy Against Internal Infiltration

Manoj Sinha took office in August 2020. Since then, he has led a firm campaign to neutralize active terrorists. He also aims to neutralize overground workers (OGWs) and sympathizers embedded in state structures. Over 75 government employees with terror links have been dismissed. This was done under Article 311(2)(c) of the Indian Constitution. This article allows termination without departmental inquiry in matters of national security.

The campaign adds to the Union Territory’s wider security operations. These operations have eliminated hundreds of terrorists since 2020.

Malik Ishfaq Naseer – A Mole Inside the Police Force

Malik Ishfaq Naseer, a police constable since 2007, was found to be actively collaborating with LeT. His connection came under scrutiny in 2021 during a probe into arms and explosives smuggling. Shockingly, Naseer had used his position to assist LeT handlers in dropping arms and narcotics via GPS-guided consignments.

Despite being in uniform, he served as a conduit between Pakistani handlers and local terrorists. His own brother, Malik Asif Naseer, was a Pakistan-trained LeT militant. He was killed in 2018, which raised further red flags about his loyalties.

Ajaz Ahmed – The Teacher-Turned-Hizbul Courier

Ajaz Ahmed, recruited as a school teacher in 2011, allegedly served as a trusted associate of HM in Poonch. He was arrested in November 2023 during a routine vehicle check. The check uncovered arms, ammunition, and HM propaganda in his possession.

Investigations revealed a sustained pattern of aiding cross-border arms smuggling. This was done on the instructions of Abid Ramzan Sheikh. He is a known HM operative based in Pakistan-occupied Kashmir (PoJK). Ajaz had reportedly been delivering weapons across Kashmir for years.

Waseem Ahmad Khan – The Insider Linked to Shujaat Bukhari’s Murder

The third employee, Waseem Ahmad Khan, held a junior assistant position in Srinagar’s Government Medical College since 2007. His terror links were exposed in 2018. He was identified as one of the planners behind the assassination of journalist Shujaat Bukhari and his two police guards.

Khan allegedly provided logistical support for multiple attacks, including targeting CRPF and J&K police personnel in Srinagar. He was arrested following a terror-related probe in Batmaloo and found to be associated with both LeT and HM operatives.

Safeguarding the System: Stricter Vetting and Fear of Consequences

Under Sinha’s leadership, the administration has overhauled its recruitment protocols by enforcing mandatory police verification for all new government appointments. Officials believe this has helped prevent further infiltration and reduced the risk of internal sabotage.

A senior security official stated, “This decisive action sends a strong message. Being in government service is not a shield for anti-national elements. The purge is making it increasingly difficult for terror groups to plant sympathizers within the system.”

A Strategic Shift in J&K’s Counter-Terror Policy

The Lieutenant Governor’s strategy reportedly weakened terror outfits’ ability to operate freely in Jammu and Kashmir. This approach combines targeted dismissals, aggressive operations, and financial disruption. This three-pronged approach is being hailed as a model for other conflict-prone regions.

“Dismantling the terror ecosystem requires eliminating its roots — not just the visible actors,” an official remarked. “By cutting off internal support, we’re finally turning the tide.”

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