Jammu and Kashmir administration has named 57 schools and roads after martyrs and eminent personalities, including Makhan Lal Bindroo, the Kashmiri Pandit owner of a pharmacy in Srinagar, and DSP Mohammad Ayoub Pandit, who was lynched near the same city's Jamia Masjid in 2017.

The move is part of the Lieutenant Governor administration’s decision to name public places after those who gave up their life in the "service of the nation."

"Sanction is hereby accorded to naming of infrastructure assets after the martyrs, eminent personalities," an order issued by Secretary to government, General Administration Department, Piyush Singla, said.

All about the name changes

The government girls higher secondary school in Khanyar in Sringar has been named after Deputy superintendent of Police Mohmmad Ayoub Pandit.

57-year-old Pandit was stripped and beaten to death with rods outside Jamia Masjid on June 23, 2017.

The road from Naaz to Gonikhan market in Srinagar city has been named after Makhan Lal Bindroo, who ran the famous Bindroo Pharmacy.

Bindroo, 68, was gunned down on October 5, 2021 by terrorists, who shot him at point blank range when he was at his pharmacy in Iqbal park area of Srinagar.

The government higher secondary school in Ghagwal (Kathua) has been named after Major Rohit Kumar, the order said.

Major Rohit Kumar and Major Anuj Rajput were on a training sortie when their Cheetah helicopter crashed in Shiv Garh Dhar near Patnitop on September 21, 2021. Both died in the crash.

The government primary school in Shamsabad was named after Inspector Shabir Ahmed Bhat, who was killed by terrorists in Srinagar.

The government higher secondary in Basantgarh has been named after Sub-Inspector Imran Husssain Tak, who was killed during an encounter with militants on November 17, 2017 in Srinagar. He was conferred with Shaurya Chakra posthumously for his gallantry.

The government girls higher secondary school in R S Pura has been named after Flight Lieutenant Advitya Bal, who, along with Wing Commander M Rana, was killed when their twin-seater MiG-21 trainer aircraft crashed during a training sortie near Barmer in Rajasthan on July 28, 2022.

One ASI, 37 constables from Police and CRPF, two head constables, six selection grade constables, and five special police officers had roads and schools named after them according to the LG order.

The divisional commissioners of Kashmir and Jammu regions have been instructed to personally monitor the naming of infrastructure and assets in their respective divisions.

(With PTI Inputs)