Teachers brawl breaks out at Malda school over TIC appointment and mid-day meal scam

A violent altercation occurred at Jagdala High School in Bamonogola, Malda, when teachers from two departments—Life Science and Work Education—physically clashed over a dispute regarding the appointment of the Teacher in Charge (TIC) and allegations of corruption in the Mid Day Meal scheme. The fight erupted on the school campus during school hours, escalating tensions between the rival factions of teachers.

The dispute over the TIC position began following the retirement of the school’s headmaster. In June, a resolution was passed by the teachers electing Tapan Mondal as the TIC. However, the District Inspector (DI) of Schools intervened and, due to the ongoing conflict, reassigned the role to another senior teacher, Jitendra Barman. This decision aggravated the division among the staff, with the supporters of both candidates for TIC engaging in regular arguments, leading to the physical altercation.

Concurrently, concerns over the Mid Day Meal program emerged when parents of students filed written complaints with the block and district administration. These complaints accused the school of corruption and mismanagement, citing issues such as irregularities in meal distribution and the alleged use of substandard ingredients. These allegations added to the volatile atmosphere at the school, further intensifying the rivalry between the two teacher factions.

The fight, which involved physical violence between the teachers, was triggered by these unresolved issues. No official statement has been issued by the school authorities regarding the incident, and there has been no response to the ongoing allegations of corruption and mismanagement. The local administration is now expected to investigate both the conflict over the TIC appointment and the claims of corruption in the Mid Day Meal scheme.