The Government of Jammu and Kashmir has terminated the services of five more employees, including two Police personnel, for their alleged involvement in terrorism-linked activities. The Union Territory administration on Wednesday, March 30, issued dismissal orders with the Lieutenant Governor’s approval under sub clause © of the proviso to clause (2) of Article 311 of the Constitution of India which dispenses with the pre-requisite of an inquiry in such cases.
Article 311 of the Constitution of India deals with “dismissal, removal or reduction in rank of persons employed in civil capacities under the Union or a State” after an inquiry. Since almost all of the government employees dismissed by previous regimes had returned to the services with court orders, LG’s administration in 2020 modified rules and dispensed with the requirement of inquiry. In April 2021, the Union Territory government constituted a Task Force and evolved a new mechanism for termination of the staff.
Nearly 50 government employees, including two sons of the Hizbul Mujahideen supremo Syed Salahuddin and a grandson of the deceased separatist leader Syed Ali Shah Geelani, have been dismissed without inquiry in Jammu and Kashmir since April 2021. According to the reports available with the government, a large number of the staff had remained actively associated with the valley’s separatist movement and militancy without providing services to the public for which they were being paid from the State exchequer.
According to a dossier, Tawseef Ahmad Mir of Chakoora Pulwama was appointed as a Constable in the J&K Police. After his posting in different battalions of IRP, he was attached to Security Wing Kashmir. He worked as a driver to the then MLA of Wachi, Shopian, Aijaz Ahmad Mir, until his arrest. He was placed under suspension on 15 July 2017. Thereafter he is running a provision store while drawing subsistence allowance from the Government.
Tawseef’s father Bashir Ahmad Mir was a locally trained militant of the Al-Jihad outfit in the year 1990. He was arrested in Wathoo Shopian in 1994 but released in a month. He again joined the same outfit and was killed in an encounter in Badoora Achabal, Anantnag, in 1997.
Tawseef developed contacts with Hizb ul Mujahideen (HM) terrorists including Saddam Padder, Bilal Mohand, Irfan Ganaie, Irfan ul Haq Sheikh and Waseem Shah operating in Shopian. He expanding his contacts as an over-ground worker with many more terrorists and facilitated their transportation and carriage of their arms in his vehicles. “He is therefore a ‘Trojan horse’ in the Jammu and Kashmir Police who does not deserve employment or the present subsistence which he draws under suspension. His continuance will threaten the safety of the officers and other personnel who, like the silent law abiding majority, rely on the Police to safeguard their life and liberty”, said his dossier.
On 11.06.2017 he along with his associates fired upon SPO Khursheed Ahmad Ganie of Police Camp Imamsahib with the intention to kill him. He also conspired to kill Constable Shabir Ahmad. He helped his terror associates to carry out a reconnaissance survey of the terror targets in his car. Several FIRs were registered against him. He was detained for subversive and terrorist activities several times but court quashed his PSA orders. Finally, his services were terminated.
Shahid Hussain Rather of Khaipora Tangmarg was engaged as SPO in 2005. For his involvement in criminal activities, he was disengaged in 2009. He was re-engaged as SPO in 2011 and regularised as a Constable in 2013 on operational grounds in Special Operations Group of the J&K Police in Srinagar. All through his 16 years of service in J&K Police, he worked as an OWG of terrorists and indulged in subversive, antinational and unlawful activities. He also extorted Rs 5,000 during his posting in Police Component (SOG) Tangmarg from Javed Ahmad Magray of Shrai, Tangmarg.
Shahid was arrested after he extorted money from some people in the guise of a militant in Pattan area. Ten grenades, two pistols besides drugs valued at over Rs 9 crore and Indian currency worth Rs 3 Lakh was recovered from his car when he was intercepted at Bandi, Uri, on 18 June 2021. Several cases under NDPS and UA(P)A were also registered against him after huge quantities of drugs, arms and ammunition were recovered from his vehicles.
“He is a narco terrorist and utilizes the proceeds of selling drugs to further terrorism. His activities are prejudicial to the security of the State. Report of intelligence agencies succinctly describes his character”, says the CID dossier that formed the basis for termination of his services.
Arshid Ahmad Dass of Brah Bandina, Awantipora, a Government school teacher, was allegedly at the forefront of the anti-India agitations in 2008, 2009, 2010, 2013 and 2016. Currently he is posted at Government Higher Secondary School Zainapora, Shopian. Jamaat-e-Islami appointed him as Nazim-i-Tehsil in Awantipora from 2012 to 2015.
“Unfortunately, notwithstanding his mandate to abide by the Government employee’s conduct rules, he indulged in felony by taking lead in implementing the agenda of the separatists in letter and spirit and spreading venom of hatred among the youth against the Indian State”, reads Arshid Dass’ dossier. Dass allegedly played a key role in the street turmoil of 2008, 2009, 2010 besides the upheaval in 2016. He also arranged for demonstrations against Afzal Guru’s execution in 2013.
Action against Dass has been taken after his detention under PSA and other laws proved ineffective. According to the dossier, his detention orders were quashed by different courts and he continued promoting secessionist ideology.
According to the dossier, Ghulam Hassan Parray a.k.a Hassan Firdousi of Lawaypora Srinagar is a computer operator in the government’s Revenue Department. Posted as Personal Assistant to Sub Divisional Magistrate (West) in Srinagar, Firdousi allegedly promoted the activities and secessionist programmes of the outlawed Jamaat-e-Islami (JeI) which nominated him as Khateeb (preacher) for various mosques in Srinagar.
“He has played a significant role in instigating mobs and protests against the Indian State especially during the anti-India agitations in Kashmir valley. He has also played a key role in motivating youth to join terrorist ranks. He is also secretly working as a key propagandist of the Islamic State of Jammu and Kashmir (ISJK) making him a unique case among terror ranks and the support system of terrorist ranks”, reads his dossier. “His position as the Mirwaiz of North Kashmir gives him a platform to reach out to disgruntled youth and motivate them against the Indian state”.
Firdousi’s brother became a terrorist and he maintained liaison with the ISJK terrorist Mugees Ahmad Mir. Mir was a frequent visitor to Firdousi’s house. Both Firdousi’s brother and Mir were later killed in separate encounters by security forces.
The Government has also terminated the services of one Sharafat Ali Khan of Keran, Kupwara, a nursing orderly in the Health Department. Two pistols, 10 hand grenades, Rs 3 lakh in cash and heroin valued at Rs 45 crore was once recovered from his vehicle when he was driving from Uri to Baramulla.
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