KENDRAPARA: The headmaster of a government primary school in Kendrapara district was suspended on Wednesday for allegedly consuming alcohol on the campus and locking students on the premises before falling asleep during class hours.
The headmaster, Sunakar Nayak, was posted at the government primary school in Ambura village under Kurujanga panchayat in Derabish block.
On Tuesday, Nayak allegedly consumed liquor and food inside the school after locking the main entrance and fell asleep. Finding the school gate locked, the students became frightened and started crying. Hearing their cries, several locals rushed to the school, unlocked the entrance and rescued the children.
Photographs showing liquor bottles and food on the headmaster’s table subsequently went viral on social media, triggering public outrage and prompting the education authorities to take action.
According to reports, around 35 students from Classes I to V are enrolled in the school which has two teachers including the headmaster. On Tuesday, Nayak was reportedly the only teacher present in the school as the other was on leave.
Block education officer (BEO) of Derabish Madan Mohan Kar said after being informed about the incident, he visited the school and conducted an inquiry. He said investigation revealed that the headmaster frequently attended school in an inebriated condition. Nayak was placed under suspension as he consumed liquor on the school premises and illegally locked the main entrance, the BEO added.
Earlier, local representatives including Kurujanga sarpanch Manasi Das and panchayat samiti member Krushna Chandra Sahoo along with many villagers had demanded strict action against the headmaster.
Social worker Biswanath Behera said the incident highlighted concerns over the unchecked flow of liquor in rural areas. He alleged that the growing availability of illicit liquor was contributing to anti-social activities in the area.
