Wayanad (Keralam), Oct 30 (PTI) The principal of Government Higher Secondary School, Meenangadi, on Friday denied allegations that he had consumed liquor while travelling with students during an excursion and raised suspicion that internal politics was behind the controversy.
On Thursday, parents gathered in front of the school when buses carrying 144 students returned from the excursion and demanded action against Principal Shibi Krishna and Parent-Teacher Association (PTA) president Hajis Ulladan, alleging that the two had been in an inebriated condition during the return journey.
The parents' reaction followed the circulation of videos shared by some students who had participated in the excursion.
When the bus returned to the school, Krishna was taken to the Meenangadi police station and later to the government hospital, where he underwent a blood test.
The test result was negative, police said.
Speaking to reporters on Friday, Krishna said he was deeply hurt by the false allegations against him.
"I am deeply hurt by the false allegations raised against me. No complaint has been filed at the Meenangadi police station or any other police station in connection with this incident," he claimed.
According to Krishna, some students had raised concerns that there was a smell coming from the PTA president and said they were uncomfortable travelling with him. They initially demanded that Ulladan be dropped off midway.
"I could not determine whether he had consumed liquor, but I had a responsibility to ensure the safe return of the children," he said.
Krishna said he did not take an immediate decision as the excursion involved several buses and he wanted to consult the teachers accompanying the students.
He also said the buses were travelling on a six-lane highway near Hyderabad, where stopping a large vehicle was difficult.
He said he later got off the bus and spoke to the students, who reiterated that they were uncomfortable. Krishna said he asked the PTA president to cooperate in ensuring the students' safety.
"I asked the PTA president to cooperate with me in ensuring the students' safety. He agreed to get off the bus and travel separately without raising any objection," he said.
Krishna said the journey thereafter continued peacefully, with students singing and dancing, and that he had also arranged food for them at a hotel.
He said he believed the students had shared the video on social media out of curiosity and did not blame them, as they might not have realised the consequences of circulating it.
"I do not blame the children. They may have shared the video out of curiosity without realising that it could go beyond their control," he said.
Krishna said he became aware of the wider controversy only after receiving several calls from friends and acquaintances, who told him that videos featuring him and the PTA president were being circulated along with allegations.
He also expressed suspicion that the incident was being used for political purposes, claiming that a group had gathered at the school when he returned and that most were not students' parents.
"When I reached the school, I found that most of the people gathered there were not parents of students. This made me suspect that there was a political motive behind the incident," he said.
He alleged that the controversy was aimed at creating a political atmosphere ahead of an upcoming PTA general body meeting.
He also claimed that he had been targeted by certain people for some time, though he did not know why.
(This story has not been edited by THE WEEK and is auto-generated from PTI)