J&K govt sacks 3 Jal Shakti workers for anti-national activities

Action taken following home department dossiers; two casual labourers from Kishtwar and a daily wager from Anantnag face UAPA charges and pending trials for subversive links.

Continuing its zero-tolerance policy toward elements undermining state security, the Jammu and Kashmir administration on Tuesday terminated the services of three employees of the Jal Shakti department. The workers, based in Anantnag and Kishtwar districts, were disengaged following adverse reports from the home department alleging their involvement in subversive and anti-national activities.

Jammu and Kashmir lieutenant governor Manoj Sinha on Tuesday terminated the services of three workers of the Jal Shakti department for anti-national activities.

The latest dismissals bring the total number of government employees sacked for alleged terror links and anti-national activities to nearly 88 since the abrogation of Article 370 in 2019. The administration has claimed to have aggressively used constitutional provisions to weed out the terror ecosystem embedded within the governance machinery.

The disengaged workers include two casual labourers from Kishtwar and a daily wager from Anantnag.

According to official orders, Showkat Ahmad Zargar, a resident of Bijbehara, faces serious charges under FIR No. 53/2019, which includes Section 307 (attempt to murder) of the RPC, the Arms Act, and Sections 16 and 18 of the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act (UAPA). A chargesheet has already been filed against him.

In Kishtwar, the services of Liyaqat Ali Bhagwan and Kousar Hussain Bhagwan were terminated. Both were working as need-based casual labourers and are co-accused in FIR No. 230/2019. They face allegations under multiple sections of the UAPA, including Sections 13, 18, 19, 38, and 39, which pertain to advocacy of terrorism and harbouring militants.