A representative image showing a school classroom.
Credit: iStock Photo
Lucknow: Education department officials in Uttar Pradesh's Sitapur district, about 90 kilometres from here, were shocked during an inspection of a primary school in Haluapur village when they found the headmaster intoxicated.
However, this was not the only surprise.
The headmaster's justification for his behaviour was even more startling
''Mujhe bahut dard ho raha tha, isliye 100 gram le li,'' (I was in a lot of pain, so I consumed 100 ML), the headmaster, identified as Pradeep Shukla, told Akhilesh Pratap Singh, the district's Basic Shiksha Adhikari (BSA), when asked if it was appropriate to drink while on duty.
According to the reports, the BSA and his team had gone to the school for a surprise inspection. The BSA called for a doctor from the nearby primary health centre (PHC), who conducted tests to ascertain if the headmaster was drunk. It was found that he had consumed liquor.
A video of the conversation between the BSA and the headmaster has gone viral on social media .
Reports said that the headmaster was suspended and an investigation was launched into the matter. ''The block education officer has been entrusted with the task of conducting an inquiry and submit a report,'' Singh said.
The teachers of the school informed the officials that the headmaster often came to the school in an inebriated condition. The officials promised stern action against the headmaster.