Terrorists burnt down Saint Paul International School at Sonwar in Srinagar on Saturday night. The administration block, the computer centre, science centre and library were totally gutted in the fire.
When contacted on phone, Inspector General of Kashmir S M Sahay pleaded complete ignorance. "If a school had been burnt in Kashmir, I would have known about it. The only incident that I know of a school being burnt was way back on August 13 last year," he said.
When he was informed about the name of the school and other relevant details, he said that he would find out about the school burning incident.
Reverend C M Khanna told
rediff.com over the phone that the school was opened 17 years ago,
when the army vacated the property of a Kashmiri Pandit. The school has 450 students. Since the school was closed for winter vacations there was no loss of life.
"The school administration used to get threatening calls from the ultras from time to time. They threatened to set the school on fire and they have carried out their threat. After Tyndale Disco was burnt in August last year the ultras have been eyeing the Chritian schools in the Valley. An FIR has been registered with Ram Munshi Bagh police station," Khanna said.
The school is due to open on March 1 after winter vacations and the school administration is working round the clock to ensure that the school opens as per schedule. Principal Grace Paljore could not be contacted for further details.