Kashmir’s main Higher Secondary School a ‘military garrison’
5 Dariya News
Srinagar 03-Oct-2019
On the first day of re-opening of Higher Secondary Schools in Kashmir, the main institution—Shri Pratap Higher Secondary School at Moulana Azad Road in the heart of city on Thursday wore a deserted look as only security personnel camping in the campus could be spotted roaming around. The panic stricken staffers, who had managed to reach the school, expressed concern as they didn’t not even have a proper space to sit.According to wire-service—Kashmir News Observer (KNO), student presence at the SP Higher Secondary School was zero while as panic was all around. “Today, we are here after a gap of two months. There is lot of fear and panic all around in the school premises,” a senior staffer told KNO, wishing not to be named.According to this reporter, security personnel from the Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) were everywhere in in the SP Higher Secondary School. Ironically, the security men have established temporary watch towers, washrooms, and makeshift bunkers, which adds to the “scary look inside.”“There are so many reasons as to why students have not turned up today. There is no transport facility, mobile connectivity too is absent and above all there is highest level of uncertainty prevailing across Srinagar,” another staffer told KNO, on the condition of anonymity. He said that there is no one who can speak to the Security Personnel and ask them to vacate the school premises. “We don’t expect student attendance in the school at least in the near future given the level of uncertainty that has gripped entire Kashmir. Even I came here and in the mid-way, my vehicle was caught up in a stone pelting protest,” he said. “Two stones hit my vehicle while coming to my school.”Another staffer, also echoed similar concerns stating that unless government takes concrete steps to restore normalcy so that students turn up to their respective schools.(KNO)