Teacher Held Over False Food Claims at State Sports Meet in Kozhikode

UPDATE - follow-up to Keralam teacher arrested for alleging worms found in food at State Sports Meet; Minister alleges conspiracy: A physical education teacher was arrested in Kozhikode after allegedly posting a false claim on Facebook that worms were found in food served at the State Sports Meet.

The Arrest And Case

The arrested teacher is Jijo James from a vocational higher secondary school in Ernakulam district. On Wednesday, Mr. James posted on social media that students at the event found worms in their meals. Following this claim, a student organisation named SFI held a protest march. Sports Meet convenor P.K. Aravindan filed a complaint, leading the Kunnamangalam police to register a case against Mr. James under the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita for allegedly giving provocation with intent to cause a riot. Officials stated that organisers inspected the food after the allegation and found it to be false. Mr. James deleted the post by evening, and police recorded his arrest before he was set to be released on bail due to the bailable nature of the charges.

Minister's Claims

General Education Minister N. Samsudheen alleged a conspiracy behind the incident, stating that anti-social elements tried to disrupt the sporting event where students competed after months of training. Mr. Samsudheen stated the incident was not the work of Mr. James alone and called for a departmental inquiry as well as an investigation into the role of others. He noted that the situation should not necessarily be seen as a political conspiracy, though the conduct of certain individuals raised suspicions.

Context

Large state-level student events require strict food safety checks and coordination between multiple government departments and school authorities. Such gatherings often draw intense public and media attention, making safety and accurate information critical for smooth operations.