A local journalist, instrumental in releasing a video of primary school students being fed ‘Namak-roti’ in the midday meal in Mirzapur district, has been booked for conspiracy, sources said here on Monday.
The UP police accused Pawan Jaiswal of being hand in glove with the representative of a local pradhan (village head) and manipulating the story of chapati and salt being served to the students. Jaiswal, along with Rajkumar- representative of local village head- and an unknown person was booked on Saturday under section 120-B, 186, 193 and 420 of the IPC.
After the video of around 100 students eating ‘roti-namak’ at a government primary school in Mirzapur district’s Siyur village went viral, DM Mirzapur Anurag Patel had said the allegations levelled in the video were found true and that two people were suspended in the case.
”The issue was brought to our notice and an inquiry ordered in the issue. After the allegations were found true, two people– Murari and Arvind Tripathi– have been suspended and strict action will be taken further,” the District Magistrate had said.
Following the incident, the National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) had issued a notice to the Uttar Pradesh government in the matter. The commission has asked for a detailed report from the state’s chief secretary within four weeks. It has also sought details of the status of mid-day meals across the state in government and government-aided primary schools.
After the video went viral, UP Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath had ordered a probe in the matter and directed strict action against the guilty. Newly-sworn in Basic Education Minister of the state Satish Dwivedi had also promised strict action against the culprits.
Recently, four journalists– three of Noida and one of Lucknow — were slapped with Gangster Act for allegedly publishing false news to blackmail police officers.
Similarly, another photo journalist was booked by Varanasi police after he clicked a picture showing minors cleaning the silt inside a police-chowki, the police alleged that the picture was actually manipulated by the photographer. (UNI)
