SRINAGAR: There has been no let up in school burning incidents in Kashmir and at least four more schools were set ablaze in last 24 hours by unknown persons across the Valley while attempt was also made to torch a prestigious college in Srinagar.
Fire erupted in Government primary school building at Dugpora, Gadoora in central Kashmir’s Ganderbal district last evening.
After noticing the fire, the locals rushed to the spot and informed fire services. The fire fighters reached the spot and extinguished the fire.
The building suffered partial damage in the fire incident.
Police have registered a case and have taken up the investigation.
Another school was set ablaze in North Kashmir’s Bandipora district.
A police official said miscreants set on fire the Boys Middle School Asthan Mohallah, Naid Khai in Bandipora district last night.
He said firefighters and police men reached the spot to extinguish the fire. “They brought the fire under control at the initial stage”.
“Minor damage was caused to the school building and records of the school. Police have registered an FIR and launched manhunt to identify the miscreants involved in this incident,” the official said.
According to police, miscreants also attempted to torch two schools in downtown Srinagar last evening.
“Miscreants attempted to set on fire Government High School Dugpora, Anchar in Soura and Government Primary School Goripora in Safa Kadal area of downtown Srinagar,” a police official said.
He said the fire tenders immediately reached both the places after the fire was noticed in the school buildings. “The firefighters extinguished the fire. However, minor damage was caused to both the school buildings”.
The official said unknown persons had also attempted to set on fire the prestigious S P College in Srinagar on night intervening Wednesday/Thursday.
“The watchman of the college doused the fire after notching fire in window of the building. The window was damaged,” he said adding police have registered a case and launched investigations.
At least 32 schools have been set on fire by unknown persons in Valley after the eruption of unrest following killing of 21-year-old Hizbul Mujahideen commander Burhan Wani on July 8. At least 92 people including two policemen have been killed, over 13000 civilians injured and more than 9000 people arrested by police in last 119 days of unrest in the Valley.
Police have launched a manhunt across the Valley to identify and arrest the culprits.
In South Kashmir, which is epicenter of ongoing unrest and where 15 schools have been torched, police have arrested more than 20 people for their involvement in burning of the schools.
In North Kashmir, police arrested five persons for setting a fire a school.
Jammu and Kashmir High Court recently took suo motto cognizance of burning of schools in the Valley and directed government to take all necessary measures for safety of the schools.
The torching of schools has outraged people from all sections of the society. The burning of schools has been condemned by mainstream, religious, civil society members and separatist groups.
The government has blamed separatists for burning of the schools.