UP: Principal, teacher booked for 'madrassa-type prayer' in school

Police have booked the principal and a teacher after the local unit of Vishwa Hindu Parishad (VHP) alleged that 'madrassa-type prayers' were being recited in a government school in Bareilly.

The incident happened in a government higher primary school located in Faridpur, Basic Shiksha Adhikari (BSA) Vinay Kumar said.

Some members of the local unit of VHP accused school principal Nahid Siddiqui and shiksha mitra (teacher) Waziruddin of hurting the religious sentiments of the people in the Hindu-dominated area by reciting 'madrassa-type prayers' in the school, he said.

The VHP members also alleged that the accused were also trying to convert the students, the BSA said.

Police said a video of the incident has also come to the fore.

Based on the complaint letter of VHP's city president Sompal Rathore, a first information report (FIR) was registered against the principal and the shiksha mitra on Wednesday, the BSA said.

He said it is alleged that Waziruddin was conducting 'madrassa-type prayer' for a long time at the behest of principal Siddiqui and the students who protested were threatened.

A clarification has been sought from the principal in this matter, whereas an inquiry has been ordered against the shiksha mitra, the BSA said.