At least 12 students were injured in an explosion at their school in Jammu and Kashmir’s Pulwama district, police said. One report said 28 students were injured in the blast. The police said they have registered a case.
Local officials, however, told Scroll.in that 14 students have been hospitalised at the Pulwama district hospital and four students are undergoing treatment at the sub-district hospital in Pampore.
The injured have been taken to the government district hospital in Pulwama and others to a facility in Srinagar. The incident occurred at a private school in Narbal where the students were attending classes around 2.30 pm, according to a police statement.
Dr Wahid, a medical officer at the primary healthcare centre in Kakapora, told the Greater Kashmir that 14 students were treated for splinter injuries they had sustained in the incident. “Three among the injured were referred to Srinagar for specialised treatment,” the doctor said.
Local reporters said clashes broke out between security forces and locals following the blast. Police fired teargas to bring the situation under control.
Governor Satya Pal Malik announced a compensation package of Rs 50,000 for each of the injured, PTI reported. Malik also directed the Kashmir divisional commissioner to ensure proper medical treatment for the students.
National Conference leader and former Chief Minister Omar Abdullah condemned the attack. “Education must be made conflict neutral,” Abdullah tweeted. “It is unacceptable and inhuman to have explosives going off inside class rooms. I condemn this act unequivocally and hope that it is properly investigated. The truth must be known and the guilty must be severely punished.”
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