Five policemen and a teacher have been dismissed from their positions for their alleged involvement in narco-terrorism in Jammu and Kashmir. This move is part of a broader crackdown by the administration on terror financing and the separatist ecosystem in the region.
Most of the dismissed policemen are from border areas and have been implicated in drug smuggling operations linked to a cross-border narcotics syndicate.
The dismissed policemen have been identified as Farooq Ahmad Sheikh, Khalid Hussain Shah, Rehmat Shah, Irfan Ahmad Chalkoo, and Saifuldin. Additionally, school teacher Nazim Uddin has also been found involved in drug trafficking.
In recent years, numerous police, army, and paramilitary personnel have been arrested for drug smuggling in Jammu and Kashmir. The cross-border drug syndicate has emerged as a significant challenge, facilitating terrorism and terror financing.
The first major case of security forces' involvement in a cross-border drug-terror network was uncovered in 2021 when the National Investigation Agency (NIA) arrested a BSF officer posted in the Handwara area of Kupwara district. The officer was accused of operating a cross-border drug syndicate linked to the Lashkar-e-Taiba terrorist group. The NIA had recovered Rs 91 lakh in cash from Romesh Kumar, a BSF sub-inspector from Samba in Jammu. This cash was part of the proceeds from drug trafficking.