Teacher, Sheep Husbandry Assistant Dismissed Under Article 311 for Alleged Active Role in LeT Operations, Arms & Narcotic Smuggling; Zero Tolerance Policy Targets State Security Threats
jj correspondent
Srinagar, August 22, 2025: In a decisive and uncompromising move against the deeply entrenched terror ecosystem, the Jammu and Kashmir administration, under Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha, today dismissed two government employees from service for their alleged active links with Pakistan-based terrorist outfits. The dismissals, effected under sub-clause (c) of the proviso to clause (2) of Article 311 of the Constitution of India, underscore the administration’s firm resolve to purge the system of individuals deemed a threat to state security, bypassing formal inquiries where expediency demands.
The two government employees removed with immediate effect are Khurshid Ahmad Rather, a teacher in the School Education Department, and Siyad Ahmad Khan, an Assistant Stockman in the Sheep Husbandry Department. The orders, issued by the Lieutenant Governor, state that based on facts and available information, he is satisfied that their activities are of such a nature as to warrant dismissal, and that holding a formal inquiry is not expedient in the interest of the security of the state.
The details emerging from investigations paint a disturbing picture of how individuals entrusted with public service allegedly became active conduits for terror. Khurshid Ahmad Rather, appointed in government service in 2003 (initially as Rehber-e-Talim and confirmed in 2008), is alleged to have functioned as an Over Ground Worker (OGW) for the Lashkar-e-Toiba (LeT) terror organization. Despite being paid by the government to educate youth, Khurshid allegedly became an active conduit for LeT’s terrorist activities. Investigators revealed that Khurshid was tasked by Pakistan-based LeT handlers, Manzoor Ahmed Sheikh alias Shakoor and Javid Ahmed, to procure arms, ammunition, and narcotics for distribution among active terrorists operating in the Valley. His role was exposed after law enforcement agencies received an input on January 25, 2024, leading to an FIR and the arrest of four associates, including Khurshid. Subsequent interrogation led to the recovery of a huge cache of arms, including 5 AK Type (Short) MP5 rifles, 1 AK-47 rifle, 2 pistols, and ammunition. Khurshid is currently lodged in District Jail, Kupwara. Investigators gravely observed, “If the education system is infected with people like Khurshid, the entire country will be put to real peril.”
Similarly, Siyad Ahmad Khan, appointed as an Assistant Stockman in the Sheep Husbandry Department in 2004, allegedly willingly began working for the Pakistan-based LeT. His tasks reportedly included receiving infiltrating groups of terrorists, providing shelter, and transporting their arms and ammunition. According to investigators, Siyad Khan also started smuggling narcotics to sustain terror activities. He was intercepted and arrested on January 12, 2024, at Peer Baba Shrine, Keran, Kupwara, by a Naka Party of J&K Police and Army. An AK-47 rifle was recovered from his possession, intended for a terrorist, along with a pistol, a magazine, and five rounds recovered from his associate, Rafaqat Ahmed Khan. Investigations revealed Siyad Khan was in touch with Pakistan-based handler Basharat Ahmed Khan, who used him to smuggle arms, ammunition, and narcotics through Keran near the Line of Control (LoC) fence for LeT terrorists. Investigators strongly stated, “People like Siyad, feed on government exchequer as parasites, and by their terrorist activities keep on hurting India. Such elements must be wiped out from the system.” Siyad was arrested in 2024 and is also lodged in District Jail, Kupwara.
Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha has consistently maintained a firm stance against terrorism and its ecosystem. His zero-tolerance policy in Jammu and Kashmir is characterized by a multi-pronged approach that combines aggressive anti-terror operations, the dismantling of support networks, stringent legal action against facilitators, and community engagement to foster lasting peace and stability in the region. These dismissals are a stark manifestation of that policy, sending an unequivocal message that there is no room for disloyalty within the ranks of public service when it comes to national security.
