3 teachers of a religious school in J&K booked under PSA

Srinagar : Police have booked three teachers of a religious school in Jammu and Kashmir's Shopian district under the public safety act (PSA) after some of its students were found involved in militant activities.

13 students of this school have joined militant groups after which the entire school came under the scanner of the intelligence agencies, police say.

Among the alumni of this religious school was Sajad Bhat, the suicide bomber who carried out the Pulwama highway attack in February last year in which 40 CRPF troopers were killed.

Vijay Kumar, IGP (Kashmir zone) told reporters that the school is affiliated to the banned Jamaat-e-Islami organisation, reports IANS.

"We have booked three teachers of this school named Siraj-uloom Imam Sahib. The teachers booked under PSA include Abdul Ahad Bhat, Muhammad Yusuf Wani and Rouf Bhat," he said on Monday.

"The school has been under our observation and the activities of about half a dozen teachers of this school have been under surveillance.

"Our present action is against individuals, but if need arises we will also act against the school", the IGP said.

Students from three districts of Kulgam, Shopian and Anantnag are mostly enrolled in this school.

The stringent PSA empowers the executive to detain a person for a maximum period of 2 years without any judicial intervention.

The act was originally invoked against timber smugglers, but after the outbreak of militant violence in early 1990s, militants and separatist politicians have been booked under this act.

This report from IANS has been edited