Students complained they drank urine, the principal responded: 'Have some chocolate'
A scandal at a government primary school in India: a fifth-grade student is suspected of mixing urine into the water of two students and causing them to drink it. When they approached the principal, he allegedly told them to eat chocolate to get rid of the bad taste. Angry parents locked the school gates. Authorities have opened an investigation and the principal has been required to provide explanations.
Authorities in the state of Madhya Pradesh in central India have opened an investigation following a claim that a fifth-grade student mixed urine into the water of two students at a government school in the Guna district, and that the institution's principal responded to their complaint with a suggestion to eat chocolate to get rid of the bad taste. The next day, angry parents arrived at the scene and locked the school gates in protest.
The incident occurred on Monday at a government primary school in the Aron area of the Guna district. According to the news site News18, a fifth-grade student is suspected of putting urine into a water bottle and causing two students from his class to drink from it.
According to reports in local media, the students were busy making rangoli — a traditional Indian decoration that creates colorful patterns on the ground — when the water in their bottles was allegedly contaminated.
However, the storm intensified following the response attributed to the school principal. After the students complained to him about what happened, he allegedly told them to eat chocolate worth 10 rupees, less than half a shekel, to get rid of the bad taste in their mouths.
The response sparked outrage among the students' families. On Tuesday, parents and residents arrived at the school, protested against the handling of the complaint, and locked its gates, demanding action be taken against those responsible.
According to a report by the Indian television network NDTV, local authorities announced the opening of an official inquiry following the protest. Manjusha Khatri, the administrative commissioner for the region, ordered the district official and the regional education officer to investigate the affair. An official inquiry notice was sent to the school principal, and the investigating bodies were required to submit their findings within two days.
"After receiving the report, strict action will be taken," said Khatri.
The authorities are investigating both the act attributed to the student and the manner in which the school administration handled the children's complaint. The suspected student and his parents were summoned as part of the investigation, and at the same time, testimonies are being collected from students and staff members at the school.
