Overview

• Khurshid Ahmad Rather, a teacher in Karnah, and Siyad Ahmad Khan, an assistant stockman in Keran, were named in the termination orders.
• Both men were arrested in January 2024 during probes into overground networks and remain lodged in the Kupwara district jail.
• Investigators allege the pair aided Lashkar-e-Taiba by moving arms and narcotics across the LoC, with recoveries including MP5-type rifles, an AK-47, pistols and ammunition.
• The orders say an inquiry was not expedient in the interest of the security of the state, relying on intelligence dossiers from law enforcement agencies.
• The step continues a multi-year drive to remove alleged OGWs from government service, with media counts of total dismissals since 2019 ranging from about 77 to around 85 and ongoing criticism over due process from opposition leaders.