Headmaster, teacher booked for promoting religious activities at UP government school
According to officials, an inquiry was ordered after purported videos and photographs showing children wearing hijabs and skull caps at school surfaced
Sources said Sambhal Basic Education Officer Alka Sharma suspended the two teachers as well as the acting headmaster pending further disciplinary action. (File image) A headmaster and an assistant teacher at a government school in Uttar Pradesh’s Sambhal have been booked for promoting religious activities on campus, after allegations surfaced that they encouraged students to wear hijabs and skull caps, police said.
Following an official inquiry into the allegations, Sambhal’s Basic Education Officer Alka Sharma said headmaster Mohammad Anzar Ahmad, assistant teacher Mohammad Gul Ejaz, and acting headmaster Valesh Kumar have been suspended. Ahmad is currently on medical leave. She added that there are 317 students and 10 teachers posted in the school.
Umesh Solanki, Station House Officer of Nakhasa police station, confirmed that a case had been registered against Ahmad and Ejaz following a formal complaint. He said they have been booked on charges including statements conducing to public mischief and criminal conspiracy, adding that no arrest has been made so far and the investigation is ongoing.
According to officials, the inquiry was ordered after purported videos and photographs showing children wearing hijabs and skull caps at school and another video of them allegedly offering prayers went viral on social media.
Officials said the Basic Education Officer directed the Block Education Officer (BEO) to probe the matter and a surprise inspection was carried out on May 8, during which the acting headmaster was present while the rest of the staff were absent.
Sources claimed that during the inquiry, it emerged that the assistant teacher, who was appointed as an Urdu instructor, played a key role in allegedly conducting religious activities in the school.
It was also found during the inquiry that important school records — including teachers’ diaries, curriculum schedules, lesson plans and teaching materials — were missing.
Sources said the inquiry report stated that the headmaster and assistant teacher allegedly ‘promoted religious activities on school premises’, ‘obstructed official duties’, ‘neglected their responsibilities’, and ‘encouraged religious instruction in a manner that allegedly fostered sectarianism within the school environment’.
Sources further said the acting headmaster has failed in his duty by neither preventing the alleged activities nor informing senior authorities about the situation.
District Magistrate, Sambhal, Ankit Khandelwal said a committee under the chief development officer (CDO) has been formed to look into all aspects of the matter.
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