As part of its zero-tolerance policy against narco-terror, Jammu and Kashmir Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha has terminated four government employees from service, invoking Article 311 of the Constitution. This action marks the second phase of the union territory’s war against terrorism and terrorist groups.

According to sources, the dismissed employees include two police constables, Mushtaq Ahmad Pir and Imtiyaz Ahmad Lone, as well as Baazil Ahmad Mir, a Junior Assistant in the School Education Department, and Mohd Zaid Shah, a Village Level Worker in the Rural Development Department.

Law enforcement and intelligence agencies have reportedly gathered substantial evidence against these individuals, linking them to various illicit activities supporting terror outfits.

Mushtaq Ahmad Pir, a police constable since 1995, allegedly used his position to facilitate drug trafficking, particularly in the Kupwara-Handwara area. He is accused of establishing contacts with narcotics smugglers across the border in Pakistan and running a drug cartel in North Kashmir.

“He took undue advantage of his police position and leveraged it for hassle free transportation and sale of drugs. He was least likely to be suspected for being a man in uniform, and therefore went unnoticed at Police Naka points. As such, his criminal activities remained undetected over the period,” a source said.

Sources said he was able to establish contacts with narcotic drug smugglers across the border in Pakistan and was able to run a drug cartel in the North Kashmir belt. It is a well-established fact that origin of all contrabands like heroin and brown sugar is Pakistan, from where it gets smuggled through LOC and international border into India.

Due to continuous surveillance on his activities, he was eventually caught by Handwara Police. During interrogation, he revealed that he has been close associate of Iftikhar Andrabi who was the kingpin of a narco-terror syndicate operating across the border.

In order to carry out the illegal trade, he used to exploit the gullible youth by getting them addicted to drugs and thus making them habitual addicts and peddlers. He targeted young school/college students who are of impressionable mind and are extremely receptive to the lure of drug consumption,” a source added.

Imtiyaz Ahmad Lone, appointed as a constable in 2002, allegedly became an Over Ground Worker for the banned terrorist organization Jaish-e-Mohammad (JeM).

According to sources in December 2023, Police Station Tral arrested a woman Rukaya Farooq of Tral. In her confessional statement she disclosed that three Pakistan based terrorists of proscribed terrorist Organization Jaish-e-Mohammad (JeM) namely Shaheen Bhai, Rezwan Bhai and Qari Bhai contacted her and conveyed that some arms and ammunition has to be brought for carrying out terror activities. The woman conveyed the message to Imtiyaz Ahmad Lone who consented to bring the consignment from Jammu.

“He was arrested in well-planned operation and arms and ammunition were recovered. Lone was in constant touch with Rukaya Farooq since long ago and both of them were discussing jihad or radicalism and were influencing each other. Pak-based Jaish handlers gave Lone the assignment of transporting arms/ammunition,”a source said.

Baazil Ahmad Mir, a Junior Assistant in the School Education Department since 2018, is accused of becoming a notorious drug peddler in Lolab, Kupwara, and surrounding areas.

Taking advantage of his position as a government employee, he brazenly used his influence to create and spread the tentacles of a drug syndicate in and around Lolab, turning into a full-fledged trafficker of narcotic drugs and psychotropic substances and would mint money, at the cost of the life and career of the local youth, the sources said.

Mohd Zaid Shah, a Village Level Worker since 1998 and president of the All J&K VLWs Association Baramulla, was allegedly involved in a narco-terror syndicate. He was arrested in 2022 with narcotics worth Rs 30 crore and is accused of receiving heroin consignments from across the Line of Control.

Taking advantage of the cover and camouflage of his public image, he leveraged his social standing to spread the drug syndicate in and around Uri in a covert and systematic manner, without being caught in the legal dragnet for a considerable period of time,” a source said.

Investigation further revealed that Zaid Shah had received such a huge consignment of heroin ( 10 kg) from drug smugglers across LoC in PoJK and was aiming to sell the contraband among peddlers in the union territory and other parts of India.

The sources said he was in constant touch with individuals hailing from J-K namely Abdul Razaq Khatana of Madian Kamalkote of Uri and Mohammad Arif Gojer and Mohammad Sharief Gojer both from Jabda, also from Uri, who in 1990 had ex-filtrated into Pakistan for terrorist training and are currently settled in PoJK.

These terminations underscore the administration’s zero-tolerance policy against narco-terror networks in Jammu and Kashmir. The crackdown aims to dismantle the terrorist-secessionist ecosystem and thwart attempts to jeopardize ongoing development initiatives in the region.

(Inputs from ANI)