Man locks Bandipora school over pending compensation, job

Bandipora: A landlord locked a Government Primary School in north Kashmir’s Bandipora district on Thursday, claiming that the Education Department had not paid him compensation or given his son a job as promised.

Muhammad Subhan, 75, an ex-soldier, said his 15-marla land was taken by the Education Department in 1988 for the construction of the school in Check Arsalan Khan village.

He said that he was posted in Sikkim at the time and returned after retiring from services.

Subhan said that the Education Department offered him a Contingent Paid Worker (CPW) position for Rs 25 a month for his lifelong service.

He said he guarded the school building for nine years during nights, hoping that he would get compensation or a job for his son.

“I was provided Rs 25 a month till now,” he said. “I was made a fool. Forget about the promised job for my son, I was neither paid rent nor any compensation.”

He said locking the school was his way of expressing anger over the “deceit”.

Cluster Head Ghulam Muhammad, who also serves as Vice Principal of Government Higher Secondary School, Nadihal, said he went to the spot with other officials after hearing about the incident.

“On the directions of the Chief Education Officer, Bandipora, we met the man and assured him that his issue would be taken up with the higher-ups,” he said. “We persuaded the elderly man to open the lock and let the children attend classes. He understood and opened the lock of the school.”

He expressed hope that the higher authorities would soon resolve the matter of rent or compensation.