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Republic Day shocker: MP school students served midday meal on torn notebook pages; principal to be suspended

Video from Maihar district shows students served puri-halwa on ink-stained pages; action ordered against school officials.

2 min readBhopalUpdated: Jan 28, 2026 07:19 AM IST

Republic Day shock: MP school students served midday meal on torn notebook pages

The incident occurred on January 26 at the Government High School in Bhatigwan village, where students sitting on the floor were served puri and halwa on ink-stained pages torn from old books. (Screengrab from video)

Students of a school in Madhya Pradesh’s Maihar district were served their special Republic Day midday meal on scraps of paper, including torn notebook pages, triggering outrage after a video of the incident went viral. The district administration has subsequently ordered disciplinary action against senior school officials.

The incident occurred on January 26 at the Government High School in Bhatigwan village, where students sitting on the floor were served puri and halwa on ink-stained pages torn from old books.

After a video of the incident was widely circulated on social media, the district administration took cognisance of the matter. Maihar District Collector Rani Batad said action had already been initiated against those responsible. “We have taken cognisance of the incident. Action has been initiated against the concerned officials, and a proposal has been sent to suspend the principal of the school,” she said.

Public Relations Officer for Satna and Maihar, Rajesh Singh, said the administration acted after receiving a detailed inquiry report. “Based on the investigation report submitted by District Project Coordinator Vishnu Tripathi, a proposal to suspend the in-charge principal of Government High School Bhatigwan, Sunil Kumar Tripathi, has been forwarded to the Commissioner, Rewa division,” Singh said.

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He added that financial penalties had also been imposed. “The salary of contract employee and Block Resource Coordinator Pradeep Singh has been deducted for one month,” Singh said.

District Project Coordinator Vishnu Tripathi said the arrangement violated basic norms and that responsibility lay with the school administration. “The preliminary inquiry clearly establishes that the principal was responsible for ensuring proper arrangements for the midday meal. Such negligence on a national occasion like Republic Day is unacceptable,” Tripathi said, adding that a report had been submitted to the district administration recommending strict action.

Anand Mohan J

Anand Mohan J is an award-winning Senior Correspondent for The Indian Express, currently leading the bureau’s coverage of Madhya Pradesh. With a career spanning over eight years, he has established himself as a trusted voice at the intersection of law, internal security, and public policy. Based in Bhopal, Anand is widely recognized for his authoritative reporting on Maoist insurgency in Central India. In late 2025, he provided exclusive, ground-level coverage of the historic surrender of the final Maoist cadres in Madhya Pradesh, detailing the backchannel negotiations and the "vacuum of command" that led to the state being declared Maoist-free. Expertise and Reporting Beats Anand’s investigative work is characterized by a "Journalism of Courage" approach, holding institutions accountable through deep-dive analysis of several key sectors: National Security & Counter-Insurgency: He is a primary chronicler of the decline of Naxalism in the Central Indian corridor, documenting the tactical shifts of security forces and the rehabilitation of surrendered cadres. Judiciary & Legal Accountability: Drawing on over four years of experience covering Delhi’s trial courts and the Madhya Pradesh High Court, Anand deconstructs complex legal rulings. He has exposed critical institutional lapses, including custodial safety violations and the misuse of the National Security Act (NSA). Wildlife Conservation (Project Cheetah): Anand is a leading reporter on Project Cheetah at Kuno National Park. He has provided extensive coverage of the biological and administrative hurdles of rewilding Namibian and South African cheetahs, as well as high-profile cases of wildlife trafficking. Public Health & Social Safety: His recent investigative work has uncovered systemic negligence in public services, such as contaminated blood transfusions causing HIV infections in thalassemia patients and the human cost of the fertilizer crisis affecting rural farmers. Professional Background Tenure: Joined The Indian Express in 2017. Locations: Transitioned from the high-pressure Delhi City beat (covering courts, police, and labor issues) to his current role as a regional lead in Madhya Pradesh. Notable Investigations: * Exposed the "digital arrest" scams targeting entrepreneurs. Investigated the Bandhavgarh elephant deaths and the impact of kodo millet fungus on local wildlife. Documented the transition of power and welfare schemes (like Ladli Behna) in Madhya Pradesh governance. Digital & Professional Presence Author Profile: Anand Mohan J at Indian Express Twitter handle: @mohanreports ... Read More

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