Watery gravy, rotis on floor: Viral mid-day meal video gets UP headmistress suspended
An FIR has been lodged against the headmistress and the cook of the school on charges of embezzlement of food material supplied by the government and indulging in corrupt practices.
After a video showing watery vegetable curry being served to students during the mid-day meal at a primary school in Uttar Pradesh’s Sitapur district went viral on social media, the education department Wednesday suspended the school’s headmistress and terminated the services of the cook.
Officials said an FIR was also registered against the two at the Mahmoodabad police station late Wednesday evening.
The video purportedly showed chunks of potato floating in watery curry ladled onto the children’s plates. Rotis handed out to the children fell on the floor, before one child picked one up and put it back on his plate.
क्या आप इसे ‘सब्जी’ कहेंगे? 👇
शायद नहीं… लेकिन यूपी के स्कूलों में बच्चों को मिड डे मील में यही सब परोसा जा रहा है।
BJP सरकार पौष्टिक आहार के नाम पर बच्चों के साथ ऐसा घटिया और भद्दा मजाक कर रही है।
Sitapur District Magistrate Dr Rajaganapathy R and Basic Shiksha Adhikari (BSA) Gorakhnath Patel said in a statement that the block education officer (BEO), Udaimani Patel, who is the immediate supervising official for primary schools in the block, was also held responsible for dereliction of duty. An adverse entry was made in his service record.
The BEO and the Block Development Officer of Mahmoodabad were asked to conduct a preliminary inquiry after the video went viral.
They traced it to a primary school in Chhangapur village in Mahmoodabad block. They visited the school and spoke to students and villagers to verify the video. It was found to be genuine, following which a report was submitted to the District Magistrate’s office and the BSA.
The district magistrate held the headmistress, Kalpana Verma, and cook, Aneeta, responsible for failing to serve food and milk in the mid-day meal as per prescribed norms and for preparing food of poor quality despite the required supplies being provided on time.
The BSA, in an order, ordered Verma’s immediate suspension and terminated Aneeta’s services. Aneeta was employed on a contractual basis.
The SHO of Mahmoodabad police station told The Indian Express that an FIR has been lodged on a complaint by the BEO against the headmistress and the cook on charges of embezzlement of food material supplied by the government and indulging in corrupt practices.
Bhupendra Pandey is the Resident Editor of the Lucknow edition of The Indian Express. With decades of experience in the heart of Uttar Pradesh’s journalistic landscape, he oversees the bureau’s coverage of India’s most politically significant state. His expertise lies in navigating the complex intersections of state governance, legislative policy, and grassroots social movements. From tracking high-stakes assembly elections to analyzing administrative shifts in the Hindi heartland, Bhupendra’s reportage provides a definitive lens on the region's evolution.
Authoritativeness He leads a team of seasoned reporters and investigators, ensuring that The Indian Express’ signature "Journalism of Courage" is reflected in every regional story. His leadership is central to the Lucknow bureau’s reputation for breaking stories that hold the powerful to account, making him a trusted figure for policy analysts, political scholars, and the general public seeking to understand the nuances of UP’s complex landscape.
Trustworthiness & Accountability Under his stewardship, the Lucknow edition adheres to the strictest standards of factual verification and non-partisan reporting. He serves as a bridge between the local populace and the national discourse, ensuring that regional issues are elevated with accuracy and context. By prioritizing primary-source reporting and on-the-ground verification, he upholds the trust that readers have placed in the Express brand for nearly a century. ... Read More
