Students take class in bunker in Jammu's Arnia sector amid cross-border shelling
Arnia(J-K) (PTI): 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. "We told them that it was their call whether they wanted to send their wards to the school, and that the management had decided to hold the classes in the bunker for the safety of the students for the time being."
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," she said, adding, "my fear was gone when I reached the school and our classes shifted to an underground bunker."
Her classmate Shravan Kumar, who wants to be a soldier, said he will continue to go to school, come what may.
"Ceasefire or no ceasefire, life on the border will continue, so we have to adjust with the situation and ensure that we do not miss our classes," he said.
Nidhi, also a class 8 student, said she wants to join the police force and staying home serves no purpose.
"We used to attend our classes in underground bunkers some five years back when there were frequent ceasefire violations. We have enjoyed peace on the border since and hope there is no more firing so that we can attend our classes normally," she said.
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Rain wreaks havoc in Bengaluru, kills 10
Bengaluru (PTI):The rains in Bengaluru on Wednesday evening wreaked havoc, killing 10 people, authorities said.
Heavy rains coupled with a hailstorm and gusty winds uprooted trees, flooded many key stretches and threw traffic out of gear, they said on Thursday.
Large parts of the city witnessed sudden, intense rainfall for nearly an hour, bringing down trees and electric poles, crushing parked vehicles and inundating low-lying areas, while several roads were rendered impassable, severely disrupting vehicular movement during peak hours.
Seven people, including a six-year-old girl, were killed when a compound wall of the Bowring and Lady Curzon Hospital collapsed amid the downpour.
Among the deceased, two were from Kerala who were on a study tour. They had taken shelter near the wall when it gave way, they said.
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In another incident, a 35-year-old man, identified as Raghu, died of electrocution on Bannerghatta Road near Vega City Mall.
In a separate case in Yarab Nagar, a student, Syed Sufiyan died after coming into contact with a live electric wire while attempting to park his motorcycle during the rain, police said.
One more fatality was reported from Chamarajapet, where Manjunath died on the spot after a cement block fell and pierced through the roof of a house during the storm.
The sudden spell of rain left a trail of destruction across the city.
“So far, 10 people have died due to rain-related incidents in Bengaluru,” police said, attributing the deaths to wall collapse, electrocution and structural damage triggered by the storm.
Civic authorities said at least 87 trees were uprooted and 131 branches snapped across the city, disrupting daily life.
Of these, 60 trees and 98 branches had been cleared, while restoration work was ongoing.
Several cars and two-wheelers parked along roadsides were crushed under fallen trees.
Key junctions and underpasses were waterlogged, with the KR Circle underpass completely submerged, forcing police to barricade the stretch due to lack of drainage.
Fallen branches and stalled vehicles further worsened traffic congestion, leaving commuters stranded for hours.
Officials said buildings suffered partial damage in several areas, while the sudden and unanticipated nature of the storm caught many residents off guard. Authorities have issued a rain alert for the next three days.
