Republic Day Effect: Coaching Centres Asked To Wind Up Operations Till January 26

Srinagar: Police have asked the owners of coaching centres operating from different areas of Kashmir capital Srinagar to wind up their operations till January 26.

January 26 function will be held at Sher-e-Kashmir Cricket Stadium amid heavy security. The decision to close down the coaching centres in Srinagar has been taken in wake of the two grenade attacks in the heart of Srinagar city. A grenade was lobbed on a security picket near Akash Educational Institute at Rajbagh that resulted in the injuries of three cops including an Assistant Sub-Inspector. Another grenade was lobbed near Ghanta Ghar that didn’t cause any injuries to anyone.

A couple of owners of Coaching Centres told news agency CNS that they didn’t receive any formal or written order from authorities. “A message was conveyed to us through concerned police officers directing us to windup our operations till January 26. How can a police officer diktat terms as he has no mandate in this regard. If they really want to shut the coaching centres, they should issue a formal order,” they said.

The Coaching centre owners while terming the decision as ‘dictatorial’ said that everything in Kashmir is justified in the garb of security. “We don’t have any issue with the police we want that Directorate of School Education issue a written order and give reasons thereof what prompts it to waste the precious time of students,” they said.

The coaching centre owners lamented that government is non-serious about the education system of Kashmir valley while the future of the students hardly matters for it.

Meanwhile, panic gripped in city centre Lal Chowk after combined forces including Army emerged near Ghanta Ghar and started frisking pedestrians randomly.

The army soldiers pressed drone into service to intensify vigil ahead of January 26 celebration in Srinagar. Reports said that army soldiers disallowed vehicular movement towards Amirakadal and diverted it towards Budshah Chowk.

Forces personnel also conducted search operation of hotels and other buildings located in Lal Chowk. The frisking has been intensified in wake of two grenade attacks by suspected militants in two days.

The main function of January 26 will be held at Cricket Stadium Sonwar. The road leading towards stadium has been closed for the traffic a week before the R-Day function.

Barricades have been erected at several places in the city and its peripheries, commuters informed. Police sources said that “security measures” have been intensified keeping in view the January 26.

Police and forces have already sounded high alert across the valley while tight security arrangements have been made in and around Bakshi stadium where the main function of August 15 will be held.

Apart from Sonwar Cricket Stadium security has been beefed up in the entire valley, police sources said. They said apart from patrolling, vehicle checking has also been intensified and pedestrians are being frisked. People are also being asked for their identity cards. A police official said that what happened in city centre Lal Chowk was a routine mock drill. (CNS)