MP: School principal booked, hostel superintendent held for giving students Bible lessons

MANDLA: The principal of a school in Mandla in Madhya Pradesh was booked and its hostel superintendent arrested for allegedly teaching students the Bible and taking them to church, a police official said on Friday. The case was registered on the basis of a report of Bal Kalyan Samiti (Child Welfare Committee) functionary Yogesh Parashar after its team visited St Joseph School in Ghoreghat Panchayat area under Mavai police station limits, the official said.

The accused have been identified as school principal Father GB Sebastian and hostel superintendent Kunwar Singh, he said. "Singh was arrested on Thursday, while Sebastian is absconding. We have filed an application for Singh's remand but the court is yet to give an order," Mavai police station in charge Santosh Sisodia said.

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The Bal Kalyan Samiti's members Omkar Singh and Anurag Pandey had conducted a surprise visit of the school's hostel on March 4 and allegedly found children getting Bible lessons and being taken to church, he said. Singh and Pandey reported the matter to the 'Kishore Nyay Board' (Juvenile Justice Board) after which an FIR was registered against Sebastian and Singh under relevant sections of Child Labour (Prevention and Regulation) Act, Indian Penal Code, Juvenile Justice Act, Religious Freedom Act and SC/ST (Prevention of Atrocities) Act, Sisodia said.