Published Nov 16, 2023 | 6:00 PM ⚊ Updated Nov 16, 2023 | 6:00 PM
Screenshots from the viral video of the fight.
One person was arrested by the Kerala Police following a clash between teachers at a school’s Staff Council meeting in the Kozhikode district.
MP Shaji, the husband of one faculty member who is also a teacher at a different school, has been arrested in connection with the incident, police said on Thursday, 16 November.
Seven teachers were injured during the scuffle, which occurred on Monday.
The incident gained public attention when a purported video showing teachers fighting went viral on social media.
As the issue brought shame to the fraternity, a departmental inquiry was also ordered into the incident, official sources said. The incident happened at Eravannur AUP School, at nearby Narikkuni in Kozhikode.
According to the police, there was a complaint against two teachers of the school for allegedly meting out corporal punishment to students.
The teachers had then reportedly reached a compromise with the guardians of the students. However, a complaint regarding the same was forwarded to the police. A meeting was convened by the school authorities to discuss the matter.
The quarrel began when Shaji, the husband of the woman teacher, Supreena, who had reportedly forwarded the complaint, came to the institution to pick her up.
When he saw other teachers blaming her over the incident in the Staff Council meeting, Shaji began arguing with them, which resulted in the clash.
Based on a complaint from the school authorities, Shaji was arrested on Wednesday, a police officer said.
He was arrested under IPC Section 332 (voluntarily causing hurt to deter a public servant from his duty), 506 (criminal intimidation), and 294b (uttering any obscene words), the police official said.
The accused was produced before a local court in Kozhikode on Wednesday.
Following the incident the Education Department suspended both Shaji and Supreena from the service. Shaji is said to be a member of the BJP-affiliated teachers’ organisation National Teachers Union (NTU).
(With PTI inputs)
