Schools, colleges to remain shut till July 24 in Kashmir

Srinagar, July 17: Schools and colleges in the Valley, which were scheduled to reopen tomorrow, will now open on July 25 as the Jammu and Kashmir government today extended summer vacations by a week in view of the prevailing situation.

The Valley has been witnessing protests after the killing of Hizbul commander Burhan Wani. "We have decided to extend the summer vacations in the schools and colleges of the Valley by one week," Education Minister Naeem Akhtar said.

He said the decision to extend the vacations was taken in view of the ongoing law and order problems in the Valley. Schools and colleges in the Valley were scheduled to reopen tomorrow after a 17-day summer vacation.

If the situation returns to normal, the institutions will reopen on July 25. Violent protests have rocked Kashmir since July 9 following the death of Wani and two of his associates in an encounter with security forces a day earlier.

In the ensuing clashes with security forces, 39 persons including a cop have been killed, while 3,160 persons including 1,500 security force personnel have been injured. Normal life has remained paralysed since on account of separatist sponsored-strike and curfew-like restrictions impose by the authorities.

PTI