Teachers in But Students Stay Away as Kashmir Schools Reopen After Fortnight; Cong Leader Questions 'Normalcy'

Srinagar: Teachers reported to work in many schools in Kashmir as restrictions were eased further on Monday but not many students were seen. Officials said the government has made necessary arrangements for opening of 190 primary schools in Srinagar city as security forces remained deployed in most of the Valley.

But all private schools in the city remained shut for the 15th consecutive day as parents were apprehensive about the security situation in view of violent protests over the past two days. Only Police Public School at Bemina and a few Kendriya Vidyalayas saw a handful of students turning up.

"There is so much uncertainty in the situation that sending kids to school at this stage is out of question," Farooq Ahmad Dar, a parent, said. Officials in Baramulla district said schools in five towns remained closed. In the rest of the district, schools were opened, they said.

"There is no relaxation in restrictions in Pattan, Palhalan, Singhpora, Baramulla and Sopore towns. Primary schools in the rest of the district are open. We are collecting details about the number of students who have reported at their respective schools," an official said.

Questioning the restoration of services in the Valley, senior Congress leader P Chidambaram hit out the Centre and said, "Everything is normal in J&K but schools see no students and internet shuts down." He said that this was the "new normal".

A senior Srinagar district official said a few schools on the periphery were opened but in the old city and in civil lines areas, they remained shut due to violence over the past two days.

Authorities had planned to open schools up to primary level and make all government offices functional from Monday.

In Srinagar city, barricades were removed from areas where the situation has remained peaceful since the Centre announced the scrapping of the special status of Jammu and Kashmir and bifurcated it into two union territories on August 5.

Markets in the Valley were shut while public transport remained off roads. The movement of private vehicles in the city increased after restrictions were eased.