LoC schools closed after Pak shelling resumed in Rajouri

658 schools along the Line of Control (LoC) in Jammu and Kashmir's Nowshera sector reopened today after remaining closed for a week following cross-border shelling by Pakistan.

Authorities had closed 67l schools in Nowshera sector of Rajouri district on August 5 for safety and security of students in view of heavy and indiscriminate shelling.

Thirteen schools in vulnerable areas would remain closed till further orders, officials said.

Deputy Commissioner (Rajouri) Shahid Iqbal Choudhary had ordered reopening of the schools in the sector from today on the recommendation of the chief education officer, they said.

The 13 educational institutions which remained close were located in Sehar, Karahli, Numb, Makri, Niki, Sariya, Jhangar, Mohinder Mohalla, Bakshi Mohalla, Pull, Dhanaka and Dandesar, the officials said quoting an order issued by Choudhary yesterday.

These include two higher secondary schools.

The officials said while most students returned to the schools this morning, the authorities were monitoring the situation and once it improved, the 13 closed schools would also start functioning normally.

Thousands of border villagers are staying in six government camps at Nowshera after the Pakistani firing forced them to flee their homes last month.

Over 200 students had to be evacuated in bulletproof vehicles in Nowshera sector by rescue teams after they got trapped in their schools in the sector last month during the shelling.