Kupwara: A devastating fire broke out on the intervening night of Saturday and Sunday in Kandi area of Karnah, a remote border belt of north Kashmir’s Kupwara district, completely gutting the historic Dar-ul-Mominat Madrasa.
Local sources told the news agency Kashmir News Trust that the blaze reduced the revered institution to ashes, inflicting financial losses worth lakhs of rupees and leaving the community in shock.
For over three decades, Madrasa Dar-ul-Mominat had stood as a center of Islamic learning and spiritual guidance in Karnah, shaping the lives of countless students. Its destruction has created a profound void in the religious and educational fabric of the area.
Soon after the fire erupted, the Indian Army rushed to the spot and extended crucial support in containing the blaze. Along with the Fire and Emergency Services Department and local residents, the Army played a significant role in stopping the flames from spreading further, thereby safeguarding adjoining properties.
Expressing solidarity with the madrasa authorities, President Beopar Mandal Karnah and Private Secretary to MLA Karnah, Haji Tasleem Mir, visited the spot and conveyed his support to Chairman Dar-ul-Mominat, Haji Shabir Ahmed Turk, and other members of the institution. He appealed to MLA Karnah, Javaid Mirchal, the District Administration Kupwara, and local authorities to ensure immediate ex gratia relief for the madrasa.
Haji Tasleem Mir also urged affluent residents of Karnah to contribute generously towards rebuilding the institution. “The Dar-ul-Mominat has been a source of light and knowledge for decades. We must unite to restore this prestigious institution so that the flame of education and faith continues to shine bright in our valley,” he said. (KNT)
