The principal of a secondary school has been suspended for allegedly beating up students for not greeting him with "As-Salaam-Alaikum" in UP's Shahjahanpur.
Principal secretary and nodal officer of the district, Dimple Verma on a visit to the Bilhari Secondary School in Tilhar area Sunday was told that principal Chand Mian was demanding that he be greeted with "As-Salaam-Alaikum" and he would beat up those wishing him "good morning", an official said.
"As-Salaam-Alaikum" is a greeting in Arabic which means "Peace be upon you". The greeting is a religious salutation among Muslims.
Class VI student Priyanshu, who met the senior officer along with other locals, told her that since the children were not being able to say "As-Salaam-Alaikum" they were beaten up. He also showed injury marks on his neck to the visiting official, Chief Development Officer Prerna Sharma said.
The student was sent for medical examination and the preliminary inquiry report has been handed over to Basic Shiksha Adikari (BSA) Rakesh Kumar.
"Principal Chand Mian has prima facie been found guilty of the charges and suspended...further inquiry is on," Kumar said.
Meanwhile, Chand Mian has rejected the allegations and said that he was being defamed as part of some conspiracy.
Earlier, in a similar incident, an Urdu teacher of a government school in Uttar Pradesh's Hardoi district had allegedly asked the students to greet him with Salaam Alaikum, following which a show cause notice has been issued to him by the authorities.
Activists from the Bajrang Dal group came to the school situated in Sandila town of Hardoi district and highlighted the issue to the authorities.
(With input from agencies)
