SALEM: Officials of Panchayat Union Middle School at Reddiyur near Omalur were forced to arrange breakfast for students, served under the CM’s breakfast scheme, from outside on Monday after groceries were stolen from the school. District police registered a case and are on the lookout for the suspects.
According to sources, around 130 students are studying in the school. Of this, breakfast is provided to 63 students in the primary section. There is a separate kitchen on the school premises for this purpose. On Monday morning, two cooks who are engaged by the school found the lock of the kitchen broken and items like LPG cylinders, rice, dal and semolina stolen. Even as cooks and school staff were discussing the options available to them, students started coming in.
As news of the theft spread, parents gathered in front of the school. Following this, officials from revenue, school education departments and police also arrived at the school “The parents dispersed after officials promised them that steps would be taken to provide breakfast to the children. Breakfast was prepared and served to the schoolchildren from another school.
A complaint has been filed regarding the incident,” officials from the school education Department said.
“Breakfast for schools is prepared in a common centre only in corporation areas. In rural areas, breakfast is prepared in the respective schools,” officials added.