Probe ordered into ‘Vajpayee Mourning’ at Balasore School in Odisha

The Balasore District Administration in Odisha, has ordered a probe into the serious and unpardonable goof-up at the Budakhunta UGME School in Balasore, which declared a holiday on Saturday to mourn the “death” of former PM Atal Bihari Vajpayee without verifying the fact and believing the rumour.

Misled by rumours, School Headmaster Kamalakanta Das asked his staff to arrange a condolence meeting and declared a holiday at the school. None of them tried to verify the facts through TV or any other sources.

When some villagers and School Committee members intimated the Headmaster about the mistake, he reportedly did not respond. That forced them to lodge a complaint with the District Collector and issue was highlighted in the media.

District project coordinator of Sarva Sikshya Abhiyan Surendra Prasad Sankhua, who is probing the matter, has already visited the school. Balasore Collector Sanatan Mallick has promised stringent action against the guilty. According to latest reports, the Headmaster has been suspended even though he apologised for his mistake.