This is an archive article published on December 23, 2024
Objecting to Santa attire and Christmas festivities at Kerala school, 3 VHP men ‘threaten’ teachers, arrested
It is alleged on the FIR that the accused persons entered the school with a motive to create enmity among different communities on the basis of religion.
2 min readThiruvananthapuramUpdated: Dec 23, 2024 08:55 AM IST
According to police, when students and teachers of the Government Upper Primary School at Nallepilly in Palakkad were taking part in Christmas celebrations on Friday after the end of the semester exam, the three men came into the school. (Representative image)
Three VHP leaders in Kerala have been arrested for allegedly threatening teachers over Christmas celebrations at a school in Palakkad.
The arrested persons are VHP Palakkad district secretary K Anil Kumar, district samyojak Susasanan and Nalleppilly panchayat president K Velayudan. A court remanded them to judicial custody on Saturday, said police.
According to police, when students and teachers of the Government Upper Primary School at Nallepilly in Palakkad were taking part in Christmas celebrations on Friday after the end of the semester exam, the three men came into the school.
It is alleged on the FIR that the accused persons entered the school with a motive to create enmity among different communities on the basis of religion.
The men questioned the head teacher, Jayanthi, and other teachers at the school and allegedly used abusive language against them. They asked the teachers why Krishna Janmashtami is not celebrated instead of Christmas and wanted to know why teachers were wearing Santa Claus attire.
The accused VHP leaders were booked under BNS sections 329 (3), 296 (b) and 351 (2) and 132, said police. The school’s PTA president K Muraleedharan said such an incident should not have happened at a school in Kerala.
“We hope that this will be the first and last such protest at a school,” he said.
Shaju Philip is a Senior Assistant Editor at The Indian Express, where he leads the publication's coverage from Kerala. With over 25 years of experience in mainstream journalism, he is one of the most authoritative voices on the socio-political, religious, and developmental landscape of South India.
Expertise, Experience, and Authority
Decades of Regional Specialization: Shaju has spent more than two decades documenting the "Kerala Model" of development, its complex communal dynamics, and its high-stakes political environment.
Key Coverage Beats: His extensive reporting portfolio includes:
Political & Governance Analysis: In-depth tracking of the LDF and UDF coalitions, the growth of the BJP in the state, and the intricate workings of the Kerala administration.
Crime & Investigative Journalism: Noted for his coverage of high-profile cases such as the gold smuggling probe, political killings, and the state’s counter-terrorism efforts regarding radicalization modules.
Crisis Management: He has led ground-level reporting during major regional crises, including the devastating 2018 floods, the Nipah virus outbreaks, and the Covid-19 pandemic response. ... Read More
