Probe ordered after third class student in Amroha suspended for non-vegetarian food

Representative image. The principal of a private school assaulted a class three student and locked him in an empty classroom after he brought non-vegetarian biryani to school. | Photo credit: V Sreenivasa Murthy

The District Inspector of Schools in Amroha district formed a three-member committee to probe allegations that the principal of a private school assaulted a class three student and locked him in an empty room after he brought non-vegetarian biryani to school. The student was also expelled by the school management.

The matter came to light after an alleged video went viral on Thursday (September 6, 2024) in which a heated argument was heard between the student’s mother and the school principal. The principal, Avneesh Kumar Sharma, was heard saying that the student regularly brings non-vegetarian food to school and wants to convert everyone to Islam.

“We don’t want to educate this child with such ideas and morals, which will demolish our temples and bring non-vegetarians to schools. Your child says he wants to convert everyone to Islam by making them eat non-vegetarian food,” the principal was heard telling the mother in the viral video in which the mother refuted the allegations. A local Muslim organisation protested the school’s action, calling it biased and divisive.

The mother in the video added that her seven-year-old could not talk about such things, to which the principal said that the child learns all this at home. She also alleged that her child was not allowed to sit in class since morning and was attacked for bringing non-vegetarian food.

“The child’s family complained that he was beaten up by the school principal and his name was deleted from the school register. We have ordered an inquiry and will take action based on the report,” said VP Singh, the inspector of schools.