13 J&K teachers detained for ‘glorifying militancy’

SRINAGAR: The Jammu and Kashmir police recently detained 13 teachers of a private school in north Kashmir’s Baramulla for allegedly glorifying militancy and motivating students to become militants, officials with knowledge of the case said.

Eleven teachers were released after stern warning and intervention from senior citizens.Last week, a video on social media showed how dozens of students appeared to be ‘acting as militants’, said an officer linked with the investigation. The video, shot when the students were on a school excursion, was similar to those regularly released by militants to ‘showcase their achievements’ and lure the youth towards militancy, the officer said on condition of anonymity.

In the viral video, the students are being apparently encouraged by some teachers to perform and act as militants while other boys are playing songs eulogising the death of militants. The songs have been previously used by militants in propaganda videos, the police officer said.

In another video, two students can be seen posing with sticks as if they were guns. Though these are only mock-ups, another police officer said the videos could easily “brainwash” young boys and drive them to militancy.

The police took serious note of the incident and detained all the teachers of the school.