In a major development in the Wayanad school trip controversy, Principal Shibi Krishnan of Meenangadi Higher Secondary School was transferred to Vaduvanchal Higher Secondary School on Saturday, October 31. The decision followed an official report that found violations of government guidelines during a student study tour. The report stated that the school had not obtained mandatory permission from the Regional Deputy Director and had extended a three-day trip to five days. Directives were also issued to remove Parent Teacher Association (PTA) President Hajis Ulladan from his post.

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Rumours, protests and medical clearance

The controversy erupted after 133 high school students went on an excursion to Hyderabad in three buses. On Wednesday night, during the return journey, students noticed PTA President Hajis Ulladan boarding the bus smelling strongly of alcohol. The students recorded video clips of the allegedly intoxicated official and forwarded the footage to their parents. Rumours then spread that both the PTA president and Principal Krishnan were drunk.

When the buses arrived, angry parents and political activists blocked Principal Krishnan at the gate. Police intervened, escorted him to safety and took him to a hospital for examination. On Friday, October 30, laboratory blood tests returned negative, indicating that the principal had not consumed alcohol.

However, protesting parents disputed the findings, claiming that the alcohol might have cleared from his system because of delayed sampling. Meanwhile, students who took part in the trip defended Krishnan, stating that he was sober and had immediately moved the PTA president from the bus to a separate vehicle.

Principal alleges political conspiracy

Following his medical clearance, Principal Krishnan spoke out against the allegations.

"I faced immense difficulty," he said, adding, "This is an example that truth will win".

Questioning the harassment, he asked, "Who will answer for the mental distress caused to me and the suffering experienced by my family?". He added, "I am an example of how someone can be mentally shattered for narrow interests".

Addressing the crowd's actions, Krishnan stated, "There is no police complaint against me. There were some immature actions from the children's side. However, I do not blame those kids. That is all they know".

He noted that outsiders led the protest: "I came yesterday to prove my honesty. But except for one person among those who came yesterday, nobody else was a parent of the children".

Suspecting political motives, he said, "I suspect whether there was a political move against me. Since there were no complaints, I was not bound to undergo any tests. However, it was a political activist who demanded that a urine test be conducted".