Jammu, October 13
The suicide by a student here on the issue of non-payment of tuition fee has exposed the bungling in private schools in the state. In the absence of a clear education policy, more than 5000 private schools have been opened in various parts of the state during the past some time. The private school owners enjoy political patronage and even certain politicians are running educational institutions.

There are allegations that many schools have failed to maintain high education standards and their managements are not only fleecing the students by charging high fee and miscellaneous expenses but also paying a pittance to the teachers from whom receipts of higher salaries are allegedly got signed.

The state government has from time to time been making announcements that the fee structure of the private schools will be fixed and steps taken to stop exploitation of teachers, but nothing has been done during the past 30 years.

The present coalition government had also promised that the functioning of private schools would be streamlined, but it has failed to take any effective step during the past four years.

Besides exorbitant admission fee, most of the private schools charge a huge monthly tuition fee of not less than Rs 300 that is fixed arbitrarily. Even certain crèches charge an admission fee of around Rs 6000 and a monthly charge of Rs 600.

All this and lack of motivation in government schools has resulted in an increased percentage of dropouts.

Srinagar October 13
Two militants of the Lashkar-e-Toiba outfit were killed in an encounter with the security forces after a night-long operation in Shopian town of Pulwama district. An Army jawan of 44 RR was also killed in the encounter, the police here said.

Acting on a specific information regarding presence of militants in the house of an advocate, Abdul Hai Sheikh, at Aliyalpora, the police and the security forces cordoned off the area yesterday afternoon that continued throughout the night. A fierce gunfight continued throughout the night, the police said.

The slain militants were identified as Azad Ahmed Lone from the nearby Chotigam locality and Shakeel Bhai from Pakistan. One Army jawan of 44 RR also lost his life, while another was injured in the operation. The house of Mohammad Yaqoob was damaged in the operation.

The Deputy Inspector-General of Police, South Kashmir, Mr H.K. Lohia, said the militants were hiding in the house adjacent to Green Land Higher Secondary School.

Maintaining utmost restraint and to prevent any civilian loss of life, the police first evacuated about 1,500 students of the school, the DIG added. Taking advantage of the situation militants fired upon police and escaped from the advocate’s house and took shelter in a nearby house.

Mr Lohia said during this rescue operation about 2,000 civilians were evacuated from the market.

Chandigarh, October 13
The Jammu and Kashmir High Court has stayed the operation of an Army order for initiating administrative action against a lieutenant-colonel accused of molesting his subordinate officer.

The stay was granted this week on a petition filed by Lt-Col Virendra Mohan, posted in the Judge Advocate General’s Branch at Headquarters 16 Corps Nagrota. The officer had argued his own case before the court.