RAIPUR: A surprise inspection by an education officer led to a shocker in a Chhattisgarh school on Thursday - a woman teacher lay sprawled on the classroom floor, drunk and senseless, while students played around her. There have been several instances, unfortunately, of teachers being found drunk in class in Chhattisgarh, this is the first time it's a woman. The 'drunken master' moment took place in Tikaitganj primary school, on the outskirts of Jashpur district headquarters and 430km from Raipur.
Teacher coming drunk to school for last few days, complain parents
Block education officer MZU Siddique went to the school around 11am on Thursday for a routine inspection. "I was shocked to see the teacher lying on the floor and children busy playing. Initially, I thought she had fallen ill and enquired about her with the children of Class 3 and 4 who were in the classroom. I was even more shocked when the children said she had taken liquor. I then asked the children to help her sit in a chair," Siddique told TOI.
The school has 54 students and the teacher, identified as Jagpati Bhagat, taught all subjects.
The BEO then dialled additional SP Pratibha Pandey, narrated the incident and asked for lady constables to help send the teacher for medical check-up. The ASP immediately sent two policewomen to the school, who took Bhagat to the district hospital in a police van.
The doctors confirmed, after a thorough examination, that the teacher had taken liquor as they found alcohol in her blood, said Siddique. The district education officer has suspended Bhagat.
The students' parents complained that Jagpati was coming drunk to school for the past few days, said Siddiqui, adding that the school committee had warned Bhagat to give up this habit but in vain. School headmistress Arti Bhagat had also warned her on several occasions.
According to the DEO's office, five teachers have been suspended in Jashpur district since the academic session began on June 16 - three of them for coming to school drunk
