Police in Sukma, Chhattisgarh, have arrested an assistant teacher, Dhananjay Sahu, for poisoning the meals of 426 students at a government residential school. The arrest, which took place on Wednesday, was based on a complaint lodged by the hostel superintendent, Dujal Patel. Sahu was an assistant teacher at the government residential Porta Cabin School in the village of Pakela.
The investigation revealed that Sahu allegedly mixed phenyl into the students’ dinner on August 21st. The complaint, filed against Sahu on Tuesday, stated that the teacher took this action due to personal conflicts with the hostel superintendent, Patel.
The incident came to light when a Porta Cabin employee detected a strange smell from the food and discovered empty phenyl bottles. The employee alerted Superintendent Patel immediately, who then had the food disposed of safely. Senior officials were informed, and the Sukma District Magistrate initiated an investigation.
The poisoning was motivated by a year-long dispute between Sahu and Patel. Sahu had previously been the hostel superintendent. However, after a student was injured under his watch, he was removed from the position and replaced by Patel. This led to escalating tensions and animosity between the two.
During the investigation, Sahu confessed to his actions, attributing them to his personal grievances against Superintendent Patel. The investigation report led to a complaint filed by Patel at the Chhindgarh police station, resulting in Sahu’s arrest. Sahu has been charged under Section 109 (attempt to murder) of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS).
Sahu, a resident of Patora village in the Durg district, was presented in court and has been placed under judicial remand. The police continue to investigate the case, exploring all angles.
