Govt to issue fresh guidelines for safety of schools

New Delhi: In the wake of Peshawar school terror attack, the Centre will issue a fresh set of guidelines soon for the safety and security of all vulnerable places, especially prominent schools and academic institutions.

The guidelines for schools will include asking them to prepare an escape plan for children in case of terror attack, how to prevent hostage situation, how to raise alarm and shut doors and gates in case of an emergency.

“The earlier advisory was issued by the home ministry 2010 to prominent schools and institutions after 26/11 Mumbai terror attack accused David Coleman Headley was arrested in the US. We will revisit the advisory and send it afresh considering the present situation,” a home ministry official said.

Terror operative Headley and his accomplice Tahawwur Hussain Rana had reportedly told interrogators that Pakistan-based terror outfit Lashkar-e-Toiba could target two prestigious boarding schools in northern India and the National Defence College in Delhi.

The fresh advisory will be sent to all states and Union Territories so that they in turn can alert schools.

Some schools would be given special instructions separately and they would be asked to coordinate with local police and administration for security drills.

A few top schools in Delhi, Mumbai and some residential schools in Uttarakhand and Himachal Pradesh are likely to be given special security guidelines.

In the bloodiest terror attack in Pakistan in years, at least 160 people, mostly children, were today killed by heavily-armed Taliban suicide bombers who stormed an army-run school in Peshawar and took several hostages.

PTI