Over 2 dozen J&K students hurt in blast at tuition centre

SRINAGAR: More than two dozen students were injured in a mysterious blast at a tuition centre in Narbal, Kakapora area of Jammu and Kashmir’s southern district of Pulwama.

The police said that at around 2.30 pm “some explosion” took place inside the class room of 10th standard at a private school known as Falah-e-Millat Institute at Narbal being used a tuition centre during the winter vacations. It, however, said that only 12 students sustained injuries in the impact of the blast. “They were rushed to the hospital and are stated to be stable,” the police added.

It added that a police team, including forensic experts which has taken up the investigations, is ascertaining the nature and circumstances of the blast.

The medical officer of the government public health centre at Kakapora said the 14 students with splinter injuries were brought there for treatment. Three of them were referred to a Srinagar hospital and an equal number of others to the district hospital in Pulwama for specialised treatment, he added. Reports said that 14 more injured students were treated at sub-district hospital in the highway town of Pampore and at other medical facilities in the district.

Governor, Satya Pal Malik deeply regretted the “unfortunate incident” and prayed for speedy recovery of the injured. He also announced an ex-gratia amount of Rs 50,000 for each victim.

Earlier during the day, two Hizbul Mujahideen militants were killed in a firefight with the security forces in Gopal Pora area of Chadoora tehsil of central district of Budgam.

The police identified the slain men as Hilal Ahmad Wani and Shoaib Muhammad Lone alias Mursi of the Hizb.