Meerut school principal arrested after student's family members protest giving him non-veg food

Mohammed Iqbal Khan, principal of the school in Vaidwada in Meerut, is accused of having "deliberately served" non-vegetarian food to a student.

A government primary school principal was suspended from duty and arrested after family members of a student and Hindu outfits on Monday staged a protest against him for allegedly serving non-vegetarian food to the pupil, officials said.

Police said the matter came to light when the brothers informed their family members about the incident. (Photo by Bhushan Koyande/HT) (HT PHOTO)(Representative Image)

Protests were held in the school and outside the police station, they said.

Mohammed Iqbal Khan, principal of the school in Vaidwada in Meerut, is accused of having "deliberately served" non-vegetarian food to a student.

A block education officer has been tasked with a detailed report on the matter.

According to the police, a class 3 student in the school alleged that the principal gave him ₹100, asking him to bring some meat. The principal, then, allegedly offered the meat to the student, who refused it. Subsequently, Khan allegedly offered the meat to the student's younger brother, they said.

Police said the matter came to light when the brothers informed their family members about the incident.

On the complaint of the student's family members, police has registered an FIR against Khan under Section 299 (deliberate and malicious act intended to outrage religious feelings of any class by insulting its religion or religious beliefs) of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS), SHO Naresh Kumar told PTI.

Acting on the complaint, Block Education Officer Shyam Mohan Asthana was sent to the school and said prima facie the principal appears guilty.

Khan was suspended based on a preliminary report on the incident, the officer said.

Basic Siksha Adhikari (BSA) Asha Chowdhury said they received information that a student was given non-vegetarian food in the school.

A detailed probe into the matter will be done by Block Education Officer (headquarters) Pradeep Kumar.