7 Gazetted Officers, including assistant registrar of KU and govt college lecturers, among nearly 150 names; more to be identified as CM asks for a second list
On the instructions of the chief minister, government officials have identified nearly 150 government employees, among them half-a-dozen policemen and seven gazetted officers, who have taken part in stone-fighting and pro-freedom protests.
Senior officers in the government told Kashmir Post that the list was prepared upon instructions from Chief Minister Mehbooba Mufti. They said the names have been sent to concerned deputy commissioners, secretaries, commissioner secretaries and directors, for action against them as per rules.
“It is now under their jurisdiction to take action. We expect more names in the coming days as instructions have been given to furnish another list,” an IAS rank officer told Kashmir Post.
The six policemen identified as being part of stone-throwing and pro-freedom protests are: Riyaz Ahmad (listed as Budgam employee) and constables Nasir Dar, Riyaz Ganie, Firdous Bhat, and Aijaz Zargar, all of them from Budgam. A retired cop Abdul Rehman Wani from Kupwara has also been found taking part in protests.
The list of employees, gathered from top government sources by Kashmir Post, comprises employees of various departments, the highest number coming from the education department, nearly 40. Among districts, Anantnag has the highest share: 46 employees, followed by Pulwama (26), Kupwara (21) and Ganderbal (20). Srinagar has contributed five employees.
Sources said that seven gazetted officers have been found part of pro-freedom protests. These are: Bilal Ahmad Gadda, Junior Engineer in Public Health and Engineering (PHE) department; Raja Bashir Bhat, Accounts Officer in Finance Department; Mohammad Akram, Assistant Registrar of Kashmir University; Zahoor Itoo, Lecturer at Government Degree College Larnoo, Anantnag; Abdul Hamid Laloo, Lecturer in the Higher Education Department; Abid Khanday, Block Development Officer Mattan, Anantnag; and Mohammad Khaliq Ganie, Deputy Chief Education Officer Anantnag.
The other departments whose employees have been found part of protests are: Fisheries, Health, Consumer Affairs and Public Distribution, Roads and Buildings, Agriculture, Power Development, Forest, Revenue, State Motor Garages, Sher-i-Kashmir Agriculture University of Science and Technology, Srinagar Development Authority , BSNL, Municipality, JK Tourism, SICOP, BEACON. An employee of JK Bank also figures in the list.
