Amid looming threats of fidayeen attacks by militants ahead of Republic Day, the J&K Government has shut private coaching centers in Srinagar.
“We have been asked to stay closed till January 27,” said an employee of a private coaching centre at Parraypora in Srinagar.
He said the coaching center administration had asked the authorities to allow them to run the classes for pre-medical National Eligibility-cum-Entrance Test (NEET) and engineering entrance examinations but to no avail.
“Engineering examinations are scheduled in March and NEET is scheduled in May. It is unfortunate that the police are forcing us to keep coaching centers closed at a time when these students can’t afford to miss a class,” he said.
However, a senior official said, “We are receiving very disturbing inputs that militants are going to carry out attacks in Srinagar in the next five days. To avoid any collateral damage, we asked the coaching centers to stay closed till January 27.”
Security agencies are apprehensive of a fidayeen attack in Srinagar as a group of Jaish-e-Mohammad (JeM) militants is believed to have sneaked into this side of the Kashmir.
There is a heavy deployment of police and paramilitary forces across Kashmir, officials said.
Security forces have intensified searches and frisking in Kashmir to foil any attempt by militants to smuggle arms and ammunition into the city ahead of the Republic Day celebrations.
Police have erected barricades, security check-posts at all entry and exit points of Srinagar.
A Cordon and Search Operation (CASO) in the old city last week after a gap of 17 by security forces evoked sharp criticism from the National Conference (NC).
Senior Superintendent of Police, Srinagar, Imtiyaz Hussain Parray said security arrangements are normal ahead of Republic Day in Kashmir. “This has been happening every year and saying that Kashmir has been put on high alert is wrong,” Parray said.
Private Coaching Center Association president GN Var said the closing of coaching centers shows the police are disturbing the education sector in Kashmir. Var appealed to Chief Minister Mehbooba Mufti to look into the matter.
Apprehending fidayeen attacks, coaching centers closed till January 27
