Odisha Headmaster Suspended for Allegedly Consuming Alcohol on School Premises
The headmaster, identified as Sunakar Nayak, allegedly consumed liquor inside his office during the students’ games recess and later fell asleep after locking the room from inside, officials said.
Bhubaneswar: A government primary school headmaster in Odisha’s Kendrapara district was suspended on Thursday for allegedly consuming alcohol inside the school premises during school hours, officials said.
The incident was reported from Ambura Primary School under Derabisi block. The headmaster, identified as Sunakar Nayak, allegedly consumed liquor inside his office during the students’ games recess and later fell asleep after locking the room from inside, officials said.
Attempts by fellow staff members to wake him by knocking on the door reportedly failed. As Nayak was the only teacher posted at the school, teaching activities came to a halt after the recess, leaving students without supervision, according to officials.
Officials also said the main entrance gate of the school had allegedly been locked, preventing the students from leaving the premises.
The situation continued until around 5 pm, when officials from the school and mass education department reached the school. They broke open the lock to enter the premises and take stock of the situation.
Following a preliminary inquiry, the department suspended Nayak from service, officials said.
A video purportedly showing the headmaster consuming alcohol inside the school has also surfaced on social media. The incident has triggered criticism among local residents, who have questioned the conduct of a teacher entrusted with the care and education of young children.
The school and mass education department has launched a detailed inquiry into the incident.