PSA against 3 Shopian ‘teachers’, school refutes police claims, issues disclaimer

Srinagar: The Jammu and Kashmir Police on Monday said that three teachers of Jamia Siraj-ul-Uloom School in Imamsahib area of South Kashmir’s Shopian district were booked under Public Safety Act (PSA) and five to six teachers are under the radar after it came to fore that some of its students and alumni were “involved in militancy-related activities.

Inspector General for Police, Vijay Kumar, while replying to a query in a press briefing at PCR Srinagar, said that the school is affiliated with Jamaat-e-Islami and that the school was already under observation and right now “we are taking action against some individuals, if need arises. We will take action against the school if needed,” the IGP Kashmir said.

“Three teachers namely Abdul Ahad Bhat, Rouf Bhat and Muhammad Yousuf Wani have been booked under PSA,” he said, adding that conduct of five to six teachers of the school is under surveillance.

Meanwhile, authorities of Jamia Siraj-ul-Uloom Imamsahib Shopian have rejected reports that the institution is involved in propagating the ideology of militancy.

Chairman of the institution, Muhammad Yousuf Mantoo, while talking to KNO, said that the syllabus at the school is as per board. “Besides that, only Quran is being taught in the school and if that is a crime then we are ready to face any action,” he said.

He further added that dozens of agencies including IB, CIK have already investigated the institution in the last few years and nobody has found anything adverse. “Three persons mentioned by IGP who have been booked by police are not from the institution,” Mantoo said.

He added that any agency is free to investigate their institution, anytime.

“We will cooperate every time,” Mantoo said adding that Sajad Ahmed from Marhama, whose vehicle was said to be used in Pulwama attack, was a student of the institution a decade before and that he joined militants much later.

He said since 2000, the school is functional at Imamsahib and before that, it was functional at some other place. “Since 2000, 7000 students have studied in the institute and 650 students are enrolled in the institute as of now,” Mantoo said, adding that among the 7000 students, hundreds are doctors, engineers and other officers. He also said that none among the 13 students which were mentioned in the report went missing from the institution.

“They left their homes to join militancy and how can the institution be blamed,” he questioned.

He said that Siraj-ul-Uloom is an independent institution and is not affiliated with Jamaat-e-Islami as was being said by the police. “Why is the performance of the institution being ignored,” Mantoo asked. “If we are propagating any militant ideology, then how would have some of our students joined the army and police?” KNO