The Karnataka Primary and Secondary Education Department today said that classes for pre-university students have been suspended in the state from February 12 to 15. The decision comes in the wake of the hijab row in the state.

The government has already ordered closure of the degree and diploma colleges till February 16.

Earlier, the schools had geared up for re-opening from February 14.

Karnataka Chief Minister Basavaraj Bommai had earlier instructed the superintendents of police and district collectors to visit prominent schools in sensitive areas and ensure no untoward incident takes place there and said that Law and Order should be treated as a top priority.

The hijab protests began last month at the Government Girls PU College in Udupi when six students alleged that they had been barred from classes for insisting on wearing the headscarf.

Further, the students wearing saffron scarves confronted the Muslim students raising 'Jai Shri Ram' slogans. The school authorities intervened to keep both groups of students away from each other.

The Supreme Court on Friday refused to hear urgent pleas relating to the hijab row in Karnataka and said it is "watching" what's happening in the state.