Pak shelling targets schools; 217 students, 15 teachers saved

Jammu: Braving Pakistani shelling from across the Line of Control (LoC), authorities in Rajouri district of Jammu and Kashmir on Tuesday evacuated 217 students and 15 teachers from three schools where they were trapped for over six hours.

All the schools in Nowshera and Manjakote sectors of Rajouri district have been closed for an indefinite period in view of repeated firing and shelling by the Pakistani Army, officials said here.

Villages like Kalsian, Sair, Bahwani, Namb and Jhangar, which are close to the LoC, have been bearing the brunt of the Pakistani shelling, the officials said.

Altogether 217 students were rescued from three schools, according to Deputy Commissioner of Rajouri Shahid Iqbal Choudhary.

Officials said 15 teachers were also evacuated by the police and civic authorities.

They were evacuated in bullet-proof vehicles and three buses, they said.

From the Government High School, Bhawani, 150 students were shifted while 12 trapped students were evacuated from Middle School, Kaladi, the officials said.

The team of rescuers had a narrow escape in Bhawani as they came under heavy shelling, with shells landing a few meters away from the school.

Likewise, 55 students and teachers of Government High School in Sair had a narrow escape as the building came under direct hit of shells, damaging its large portion, they said.

The students and teachers were rescued amid heavy shelling, they said.

More than 150 students have been shifted to camps while other students were handed over to parents.