Students take class in bunker in Jammu’s Arnia sector amid cross-border shelling

JAMMU, Oct 27: In the aftermath of major ceasefire violation by Pakistan, a group of students from a government middle school near the border town of Arnia on Friday attended classes in an underground bunker built in its complex.
According to the school management, the decision to hold temporary classes inside the bunker in Suhagpura, one of the last villages two kms from Arnia town, was taken this morning to address the concern of the parents following heavy shelling by Pakistan last night.
The cross-border shelling and firing by Pakistan Rangers, the first major ceasefire violation since 2021, started around 8 pm Thursday in the Arnia area of R S Pura sector and lasted for around seven hours, leaving a BSF personnel and a woman injured.
“The school falls within the range of Pakistani shelling and most of the 50-odd students did not turn up in view of the tense situation. However, those who did were accommodated inside the underground bunker within the school premises,” Anju Seth, a teacher from the school, said. In all, 15 students took classes in bunker.
She said the school got numerous phone calls from the panic-stricken parents since morning. Sethi said the government has built underground bunkers for the border residents for a purpose and “we are using the facility for the benefit of the children.” Himankshi Devi, a class 8 student, said her family decided to move to a safer place after the heavy shelling by Pakistan.
“We were frightened by the shelling but I motivated them to stay back. I want to attend my school otherwise my studies will get impacted.” (PTI)