SRINAGAR: The continued student protests over rape and murder of 8-year-old Kathua girl, across Kashmir Valley have turned into a major concern for the J&K government, which fears that the gatherings may turn into political rallies.J&K’s education minister Altaf Bukhari of PDP on Sunday ordered closure of all private tuition centers for at least 90 days, in wake of the protests to ensure that the students would attend regular schools in absence of alternative learning centers. He also warned students not to come on roads again, otherwise they would be considered ‘rowdies and action will be taken against them.’The repeated use of force, including pellets and teargas canisters couldn’t halt the protests over past week and government has decided to order closure of higher secondary schools and colleges. Most of the educational institutions were closed for four days in last seven days and some institutions could remain closed on Monday as well. Fearing massive protests, the universities have also postponed the scheduled examinations last week.“Report should go to the concerned district administration as well. All coaching centers will remain closed for next 90 days. We have to focus on schools and private coaching centers we observed were a distraction, resulting in low attendance in schools," the minister was quoted as saying in a meeting of education department on Sunday. He also directed the officials to submit list of all teachers, masters and lecturers work in all private coaching centers.“Everybody is of the opinion that educational institutions should function and if protests continued, we will be forced to close institutions and then we are not answerable before anybody. We have allowed students to express their feelings, but now they should resume studies as the Kathua case is in the court,” Bukhari told reporters, on sidelines of a function here on Saturday.On April 18 and 19, around 120 protests over Kathua rape and murder incident were reported across Valley, over 70 percent of which remained peaceful. However, in Anantnag, Shopian, Bandipora and Sopore, police and para-military forces, fired pellets and tear smoke canisters at protesting students, during which several students including females were injured and police made few arrests as well. As per the government data more than 250 protests in solidarity with Kathua rape and murder victim were reported for past two weeks.“We use force whenever the protests turn violent. Otherwise, we have allowed peaceful protests. For example on Wednesday, 61 protests were reported out of which 37 dispersed peacefully,” a senior police official told ET.The protest over any issue in Kashmir, another police official said are always vulnerable and have potential to transform into a major law and order issue. “Since last year, student protests are growing, which is a major cause of concern and the trend has to be arrested as soon as possible,” he said.On Friday, the border town of Uri near Line of Control in north Kashmir, observed complete shutdown to press their demand of justice for the Kathua victim. The candle light marches and group protests demanding justice for Kathua victim are reported from across the Valley. On Saturday, shopkeepers of business district Lal Chowk in Srinagar, downed the shutters for one hour demanding justice for the Kathua girl.“I don’t understand why are students protesting, when accused have been arrested and case is under trial. The problem is that we don’t want a new name to become a victim now and trigger a new agitation. We are always an hour away from an unrest,” the ruling PDP’s youth president Wahid Para told ET. He further said that youngsters were the only ‘relevant stakeholders’ in current scenario and a certain age group is on streets for whom the spaces of expression have shrunk extremely. “They should go back to classrooms and it is moral duty of Hurriyat leaders to guide them,” he said.Earlier, Mirwaiz Umer Farooq, reiterated demand of justice for Kathua victim, urging world human rights bodies to raise their voice against the brutal rapes and murders of Kashmiri women and to ensure justice is delivered as they did in case of Kathua girl.“The rape and murder of eight year old girl child shook entire world and at the same time the incident has refreshed our old wounds and reminded Kashmiris of many similar brutal mass rape and murders committed here by the forces who continue to roam freely,” he said.J&K government’s minister for Youth Services and Sports, Information Technology and Technical Education, Imran Reza Ansari also urged students to go back to classrooms. “…Understand your anguish against Kathua but a trial is on. Ministers have resigned. Justice will be delivered. My message to you, please study,” he tweeted.