A video from a school in the Baghpat district of Uttar Pradesh has gone viral on social media. In this video, some female students are seen in a posture as if performing namaz inside a classroom. In the video, a teacher can also be seen, in front of whom all of this is taking place. As the video went viral online, several Hindu organisations have called for action against it. In a statement issued by the school, it was referred to as part of a rehearsal of a play in the month of October last year. The police are currently investigating the matter.
According to information, the viral video is of Hoshiyari Devi Girls Inter College Rathida, which is located in Baghpat’s Chhaprauli police station precinct. It was first circulated in a WhatsApp group by a state-level office bearer of a Hindu organisation. After then, the video went viral on social media and netizens started demanding action. A teacher is seen sitting on a chair in this 33-second video, while some schoolgirls in uniform rehearse performing congregational namaz. Someone made this video secretly from behind.
In the video, the teacher is seen instructing the pupils on how to perform the namaz properly. On Saturday (May 27), the Baghpat police took cognisance of the video in question and directed the Chhaprauli police station in charge to take necessary action. Reportedly, the school’s principal Munesh Chaudhary has claimed that the video dates back to October last year. He also stated that the girls seen in the video were rehearsing for a play, but the sequence was eventually removed from the play.
Baghpat police had shared a newspaper cutting in a tweet, however, deleted it later.
The police subsequently responded on Twitter with a statement mentioning that the video was old and it was a part of the full video where the students were rehearsing for a cultural play.
#baghpatpolice
— Baghpat Police (@baghpatpolice) May 28, 2023
थाना छपरौली क्षेत्रान्तर्गत विद्यालय की मीडिया पर वायरल वीडियो के संबंध में-#UPPolice @uppolice@UPPViralCheck pic.twitter.com/n1YM65C69l
While the police has issued a statement, the full video has not yet surfaced where the students were seen doing a longer play.
Update: This report has been updated with the latest statement of the police.
