UDF releases CCTV footage regarding Meenangadi school excursion controversy
The United Democratic Front released visuals allegedly showing the school principal and PTA president entering a bar in Hyderabad to support their claims.
The United Democratic Front (UDF) Meenangadi panchayat committee released CCTV footage on Thursday, November 5, regarding a controversy involving a Meenangadi Government Higher Secondary School study tour.
According to The Hindu, UDF leaders led by former Meenangadi panchayat president K.E. Vinayan presented visuals purportedly from a bar in Nampally, Hyderabad. The UDF alleged the footage shows Principal Shivi Krishnan and Parent-Teacher Association (PTA) president Hijas Ulladan entering and leaving the establishment.
The UDF leadership claimed a bill of ₹1,100 for alcoholic beverages was settled using the personal ATM card of the PTA president. They also alleged that students supporting school authorities faced cyberbullying and intimidation from vloggers and online media outlets.
The row began following allegations that two school officials consumed alcohol during the Hyderabad study tour. Principal Shivi Krishnan, a leader of a left-leaning teachers’ association, refuted the claims and called them a targeted political move.
While a medical examination showed no alcohol in the principal's blood and some students defended him, the UDF released the footage to substantiate their allegations. The UDF has lodged a formal complaint with the Wayanad District Police Chief and plans to approach the State Commission for Protection of Child Rights.