A late-night liquor party allegedly inside classrooms of a municipal primary school in Surat’s Bhestan area has led to the arrest of four people, including a security guard, after a video of the gathering surfaced on social media.
The incident reportedly took place at Municipal Primary School in Siddharth Nagar, Bhestan. The school is run by the Surat Municipal Corporation’s Primary Education Committee.
The incident came to light after the video went viral, prompting education officials to seek a report from the school principal and inspectors. Primary Education Committee chairman Rajendra Kapadia said the inquiry confirmed that the footage was recorded at the Bhestan school premises.
The watchman seen in connection with the alleged gathering was immediately removed from duty, and another security guard was deployed at the school.
The committee has also issued a show-cause notice to the security agency responsible for providing security at the premises and its supervisor.
Bhestan police subsequently arrested four people, including the watchman. Police are investigating whether the four were the only people involved and whether similar gatherings had taken place at the school premises earlier.
The school principal said the video appeared to be around 15 to 25 days old. He said the school administration had no prior information about the alleged activity and acted after the footage came to its attention.
The incident assumes significance because Gujarat has had prohibition laws in place since 1960, with the possession and consumption of alcohol generally prohibited except under specified exemptions.
Surat has also witnessed several recent police actions against alleged liquor parties. Earlier this week, police reportedly booked 21 people after raiding a liquor party at a farmhouse near Surat.
In another recent case, six people were arrested during a raid on an alleged liquor party at a residential property on Dumas Road, with police seizing liquor bottles.