Bihar School Headmaster Turns Up Drunk During Republic Day Function In Muzaffarpur, Arrested

Sujit Kumar Mishra, the local police station in charge stated that he was arrested and went through a breathalyser test after villagers alerted the authorities about the intoxicated headmaster.

A drunk headmaster in Bihar was arrested for struggling to unfurl the Indian flag during a Republic Day ceremony.

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The intoxicated headmaster of a government school in the Muzaffarpur district of Bihar was arrested after he struggled to unfurl the national flag during the Republic Day function. The arrested identified as Sanjay Kumar, was to unfurl the national flag at the Minapur town's state-run middle school but he began stumbling and swaying after the teachers of the school invited him to the dais.

Seeing this, villagers alerted RJD MLA Rajiv Kumar and local police. Later, the officials took Kumar to the police station and conducted a breathalyser test. Further, the police said that based on the medical results, the action would be taken against the headmaster.

Kumar stated before his arrest that he drank out of "helplessness". "I drink out of helplessness. I have not been paid for five months. I have not been paid for midday meals either. I know how I am living and running this place. I am in debt. Try to understand how I am running my household and this school," he said, as reported by NDTV.

He further responded when asked who gave him money to drink, answering, "Some people close to me get me drinks. Where will I get money from?"

Local MLA Hits Out At Inefficacy Of Alcohol Ban In Bihar

Local MLA Rajiv Kumar criticised the state of prohibition in Bihar, citing the incident of a government school headmaster arriving drunk at a Republic Day function. "It is shameful that a government school's headmaster came drunk to the Republic Day function. He should face strict action," he said. Kumar also highlighted the inefficacy of the alcohol ban, stating, "Liquor is available everywhere."

Sujit Kumar Mishra, the local police station in-charge, said villagers alerted the authorities about the intoxicated headmaster. "We have arrested the headmaster and conducted a breathalyser test. He will be put through a medical examination and based on the results, action will be taken."

The incident casts a spotlight on the enforcement of Bihar's alcohol ban, a flagship initiative of Chief Minister Nitish Kumar introduced in 2016. The policy has also been linked to a rise in tragedies caused by illicitly manufactured liquor.

Additionally, the headmaster's claims of unpaid salaries bring attention to the struggles faced by teachers in the state, who often endure months of salary delays while coping with rising living costs.