Sinha Leads “Major Offensive” to Dismantle Terror Ecosystem’s Roots Within Administration; Teacher, Lab Technician, Lineman, Field Worker, and Driver Linked to LeT, HM, ISI Purged
- Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha has decisively terminated five government employees found to have direct links with terrorism, bringing the total number of such dismissals to over 85 since 2021, in a systematic drive to cleanse the administration.
- The terminated employees include a teacher, a lab technician, an assistant lineman, a field worker, and a driver, all exposed for working with Pakistan-based terror outfits like Lashkar-e-Toiba (LeT) and Hizb-ul-Mujahideen (HM), some having facilitated terrorist escape and radicalized youth.
- This aggressive action under Article 311 (2) (c) is part of LG Sinha’s “major offensive” launched in 2021 to break the backbone of the terror ecosystem, targeting financiers, foot soldiers, and those jeopardizing national security by infiltrating government machinery.
Mohit Mehra
Jammu, January 13, 2026: In a powerful and unambiguous strike against the deep-seated roots of the terror ecosystem within government machinery, Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha today ordered the immediate termination of five government employees found to have active links with terrorism. This decisive action is part of Mr. Sinha’s unwavering commitment to a systemic clean-up of the administration, bringing the total number of government employees dismissed for terror connections to over 85 since 2021.
Over the past five years, Mr. Sinha has emerged as the strategic force behind the systematic dismantling of terror networks in Jammu and Kashmir. Guided by a profound sense of justice, his approach has been both firm and fair: while decisively removing terrorists and their enablers from government service, he has simultaneously extended opportunities and dignity to genuine victims of terror by providing them employment. This balance of resolve and empathy defines his leadership, showcasing zero tolerance for terror and its sympathizers, while remaining compassionate towards the innocent. His emphasis on dismantling terror structures and cleansing institutions through non-kinetic measures is steadily delivering tangible results.
Sources within security agencies revealed that these active associates, deliberately “planted within government machinery” by terror outfits and Pakistan ISI, are “time-bombs.” They had infiltrated the system over decades to weaken government machinery and jeopardize national security. “However, Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha launched a major offensive in 2021 to expose and break the backbone of the terror ecosystem. From financiers to foot soldiers, his decisive and widespread action against all elements dismantled the terror infrastructure to a large extent,” sources said. The strict actions by Mr. Sinha are intended to purge the system of terrorist influence, cleanse the government machinery, and reinforce its integrity.
The five government employees terminated today under Article 311 (2) (c) of the Constitution include:
- Mohd Ishfaq (Teacher):Appointed as Rehbar-e-Taleem and confirmed as a teacher in 2013, Ishfaq was actively working for Pakistan-based terror outfit Lashkar-e-Toiba (LeT). He was in regular contact with LeT Commander Mohd Amin alias Abu Khubaib, a Government of India designated individual terrorist operating from Pakistan. Ishfaq was given an active operational role by LeT, tasked with executing the killing of a Police Officer in Doda in early 2022. He was arrested in April 2022 before he could execute the plan, exploiting his position to spread radical ideology and motivate youth towards terrorism. Sources revealed that even in jail, Ishfaq continues to indoctrinate inmates.
- Tariq Ahmad Rah (Lab Technician):Engaged contractually in 2011 and confirmed in 2016 in the Health Department, Tariq was posted at Sub-District Hospital, Bijbehera, Anantnag. Tariq came under the influence of Hizb-ul-Mujahideen (HM) from a young age, with his uncle, Amin Baba alias Abid, being a Divisional Commander of HM from 1998-2005. Tariq’s terror link emerged during an SIA probe into Amin Baba’s escape to Pakistan in 2005, which Tariq facilitated by arranging his stay in Anantnag and transportation to the Attari-Wagah border. Sources noted, “Tariq ensured exfiltration of a wanted terrorist across an international border. Due to his conspiracy, Amin Baba successfully crossed over to Pakistan and is currently operating from there.” Despite being arrested under UAPA and later granted bail, credible intelligence indicates Tariq resumed terror activities, maintaining contact with terrorists and their supporters.
- Bashir Ahmad Mir (Assistant Lineman):Bashir joined the Public Health Engineering (PHE) Department in 1988 and was regularized in 1996. Despite being a government employee, Bashir became an active OGW (Over Ground Worker) of LeT in the Gurez area of Bandipora. He covertly facilitated terrorist activities by guiding movements, providing logistical support, sharing information on security force movements, and offering shelter. His role came to light in September 2021 when two LeT terrorists were neutralized in his house, where two AK-47s and a large cache of ammunition were recovered. Arrested and later given medical bail, individuals like Bashir, “embedded deep within the government system, drawing salaries from the Indian exchequer while covertly serving the enemy, pose a dangerous threat to the sovereignty and integrity of India,” sources said.
- Farooq Ahmad Bhat (Field Worker, Forest Department):Farooq, a field worker in the Forest Department in Anantnag, actively worked with terror outfit Hizb-ul-Mujahideen (HM). He informally served as a personal assistant to a former MLA with ties to HM and helped Tariq plan Amin Baba’s escape to Pakistan, using his government identity card to bypass security checks and dropping Amin Baba at the international border. He was arrested in 2024 and received bail in 2025 but, according to sources, “his terror activities haven’t stopped. He continues to maintain contact with terrorists and their sympathizers.”
- Mohd Yousf (Driver, Health and Medical Education Department):Appointed as a driver in 2009 and posted at Bemina, Srinagar, Yousf was in regular contact with terrorists, particularly Bashir Ahmad Bhat, a Pakistan-based HM terrorist. On Bashir’s direction, Yousf established links with HM cadres and operatives in Pakistan, entrusted with core tasks including procuring arms, ammunition, and transporting funds in Ganderbal District. On July 20, 2024, police intercepted a vehicle with Yousf and his associate, Eashan Hamid, recovering one pistol, ammunition, a grenade, and ₹5 lakh in Indian currency. During interrogation, Yousf revealed he received the consignment from his Pakistani handler for delivery to a terrorist and actively used his official position as a hospital driver to provide operational logistics. He was also part of a network that provided phones to jailed terrorists for communication with Pakistan-based operatives.
This comprehensive and uncompromising action by Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha signals an intensified phase in the government’s fight against terrorism, aiming to systematically dismantle its support infrastructure from every possible corner.
