Valley police arrest 21 for burning schools

The Jammu and Kashmir Police on Tuesday claimed to have achieved a major breakthrough in the mysterious blaze of schools, by identifying 35 people involved in it while arresting 21 of them.

“Around a dozen people have been arrested since last week in Kulgam district while arrests have also been made in Anantnag and Shopian districts in connection with burning of schools,” Deputy Inspector General (DIG) of police South Kashmir Range Nitesh Kumar told reporters.

He said 35 people found involved in burning of schools have been identified of whom 21 have so far been arrested. “The arrested people have been booked for arson of schools,” Kumar said and added that efforts were on to nab the other culprits who are still at large.

He said a Special Investigating Team (SIT) has been formed and further investigations are underway to ascertain all the facts. “We are making it sure that only culprits are bought to book,” he asserted. The DIG revealed that some people involved in arson have fled to Jammu and Chandigarh. “We have deputed a special team to arrest them,” he said and added that all Senior Superintendents of Police (SSP) across south Kashmir have been directed to strengthen the security of schools.

Over 25 schools, most of them state-run, have been set ablaze by unknown persons in the Valley since September evoking serious concern  within the ranks of state government, opposition, civil societies and separatists. The J&K High Court on Monday also took suo motu cognizance of the burning of schools and directed the state government to take all preventive measures to save school buildings from burning by “enemies of education.”