Lucknow, Oct 22 (IANS): A government primary school principal in the state capital has been suspended for allowing a group of students to offer namaz on the school campus.

The principal was suspended on Saturday and the incident happened on Friday.

“Offering namaz on school premises is against departmental guidelines,” a district level education officer said.

The action was taken after a video purportedly showing a group of students offering namaz on the school campus went viral on social media.

“Some children offered namaz at the Primary School Napier Road, Basic Shiksha Nagar Area-4, Lucknow, on Friday which is contrary to departmental guidelines. Other teachers of the school have also confirmed it,” said Lucknow basic shiksha adhikari (BSA) Arun Kumar.

During the investigation into the matter carried out by Dinesh Katiyar, block education officer, city area zone-4 Lucknow, it came to the fore that some children had offered namaz on school premises.

According to the report of the investigating officer, principal of the said school, Meera Yadav, was suspended with immediate effect under the Uttar Pradesh Government Servant (Discipline and Appeal) Rules, 1999.

“Moreover, a separate strict warning has also been issued to other teachers of the school -- Tehzeeb Fatima and Mamta Mishra -- considering them accomplices in the said act,” the BSA said.