Pulwama: Four teachers Government Upper Primary School Inderwali were suspended and two of them arrested by police in Pulwama district of south Kashmir for their involvement in scuffle with a local resident of Inderwali who sustained injuries and was subsequentially hospitalised on September 21.
The arrested teachers have been identified as Mohd Ismail Kulay, son of Mir Hussain Kulay, and Gulzar Ahmad Hajam, son of Gh Ahmad Hajam, both residents of Sangerwani, and currently posted at the aforementioned school.
Mukhtar Ahmad Shah, son of Syed Mohd Shah, a local resident of Inderwani Sangerwani, had erected a tin shed on forest land adjacent to Government High School Inderwani, police officials said.
As per officials, the mentioned teachers took it upon themselves to dismantle the tin shed, allegedly constructed by Shah on disputed land.
This action provoked a strong reaction from Shah, leading to a physical altercation between the parties involved.
During the scuffle, it is reported that the teachers used sticks to beat Shah, causing him to sustain injuries.
He was immediately shifted to the Primary Health Center (PHC) Rajpora for medical treatment. However, due to the severity of his injuries, he has since been referred to the Bone and Joint Hospital in Srinagar for specialised care.
The Rajpora Police Station have taken cognisance of the incident and has registered an First Information Report (FIR) under case number 103/2023, following a formal complaint lodged by Shah.
Both teachers, Mohd Ismail Kulay and Gulzar Ahmad Hajam, have been taken into custody in connection with the case.
Meanwhile, the duo along with two more teachers have been suspended, Chief Education Officer (CEO) Pulwama Abdul Qayoom told Free Press Kashmir.
A letter from the CEO office, issued on September 23, stated: “Pending enquiry into the matter, the following teachers are hereby suspended with immediate effect for Violation of Govt Employees (conduct) Rules-1971 in terms of Rule 31 of Jammu and Kashmir Civil Services (Classification, Control and Appeal Rulles 1956.”
The four teachers include Mohd Ismail Kooli, Gulzar Ahmad Hajam, Maqsood Ahmad Gorsi and Ishtiyaq Ahmad Poswal. They shall remain suspended till further orders, the CEO said.
In the meantime, a teacher from this school informed Free Press Kashmir that the teachers had no intention of engaging in any altercation, especially on school grounds.
Instead, they claim that the family involved had premeditated the incident, and the viral video was reportedly recorded by one of their own family members.
Furthermore, the teacher alleged that the female student seen wearing the school uniform in the video was not a student of their school but rather a member of the involved family.
