Teachers and staff of a local school in Pahalgam area of Anantnag district in south Kashmir on Monday alleged they were manhandled by army men and directed to sing Vande Mataram.

“First they harassed us for graffitis on school walls outside eulogising Burhan Wani. We told them locals have painted the graffitis but they didn’t listen to us,” Ajaz Ahmad, a teacher said.

Ahmad  alleged that army men barged into the school in Yanner area of Pahalgam without any provocation and manhandled headmaster Ghulam Nabi Mir.

Another teacher said that the army men directed them to make children sing ‘Jana Gana Mana’ and ‘Vande Mataram’.

An army spokesman said he would ascertain the facts.

Guest