Drunkenness allegations; angry parents: How a school tour to Hyderabad ended in a row in Wayanad
A school trip involving 133 high school students from Meenangadi Higher Secondary School in Wayanad, Kerala, has sparked widespread public outrage following accusations of intoxication among tour leaders. The group had departed on Sunday in three buses for a study excursion to Hyderabad. The controversy unfolded on Wednesday night during their return journey when students reportedly noticed that the Parent Teacher Association (PTA) president, Hajis Ulladan, had boarded one of the buses smelling strongly of alcohol. Concerned students protested on the bus, filmed video clips of the PTA president in an intoxicated state, and forwarded the footage to their parents that night. This triggered panic back home, where false rumours rapidly spread claiming that both the PTA president and the school principal, Shibi Krishnan, were drunk during the tour.
Tensions erupt at school as police step in
Furious parents and local residents assembled outside the school campus before the excursion group returned. When the buses arrived, an angry crowd alongside political activists from the UDF and KSU physically blocked Principal Shibi Krishnan from entering the school grounds. Protesters accused the principal of ignoring student complaints about the PTA president on the bus, suspecting that the educator himself was intoxicated. As some parents attempted to physically confront the principal, high tension broke out on the school premises. Police officers intervened to calm the situation, moved the principal to safety, and escorted him to a hospital for a medical examination. At the hospital, a blood sample was collected for testing, but the principal's reluctance to undergo a urine test further angered parents, who demanded the PTA president's removal and the principal's suspension pending a probe. Higher Secondary Regional authorities subsequently appointed District Coordinator Dr P.A. Jaleel to conduct an impartial investigation.
Students defend principal and allege political motives
On Thursday afternoon, students who participated in the trip publicly stepped forward to set the record straight. They clarified that Principal Shibi Krishnan was completely innocent and had not consumed any alcohol. According to the students, as soon as they informed the principal that the PTA president smelled of alcohol, he acted immediately and removed the PTA president from the bus. The PTA president was then sent back in a separate vehicle arranged by the travel agency. The students emphasised that their recorded video only showed the PTA president and expressed dismay over how false reports tarnished the principal's reputation. Reaffirming their trust in the teacher who always supports them, the students demanded his full reinstatement and suggested that political malice might be driving the false campaign, noting his former role as a Higher Secondary District Coordinator.
Blood test report clears principal of drinking
The latest update in the ongoing dispute came on Friday, October 30, with the release of the principal's official medical examination report. The laboratory blood test returned negative, confirming that there were no traces of alcohol present in Principal Shibi Krishnan's system. Despite this medical clearance proving he was not drunk, protesting parents continue to challenge the finding. Families argue that the negative result occurred only because the blood sample was drawn several hours after the incident, giving any alcohol sufficient time to leave his body.