Kendrapada: A government school headmaster in Odisha’s Kendrapada district was suspended Wednesday after he allegedly consumed alcohol during duty hours, locked the school’s main gate and fell asleep, leaving nearly 35 students inside, officials said Wednesday.
Sunakar Nayak, headmaster of Ambura Government Primary School under Kurujanga Gram Panchayat in Derabish block, allegedly locked the main gate of the school Tuesday while students of Classes 1 to 5 were inside.
The frightened children raised an alarm, following which local residents rushed to the school and rescued them by unlocking the gate.
The incident triggered outrage among parents and guardians after photographs and details of the alleged misconduct went viral on social media. They demanded stern action against the headmaster.
Derabish Block Education Officer Madan Mohan Kar said the allegations were substantiated during a departmental inquiry. Such conduct by a school head was highly unbecoming of a member of the teaching profession, he said.
Nayak was subsequently suspended, Kar said.
The school has around 35 students and two teachers. Nayak was reportedly the only teacher present Tuesday as the other teacher was on leave.
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