MEERUT: Love transcends class. One young principal at a government primary school in Bijnor took the adage rather literally when to spend some quality time with his lady love, the headmistress of another school, he dismissed class for that day and sent all the students packing home. The couple locked themselves in and declared the school shut as early as 10 in the morning.

It was when the children trooped back to their families three hours earlier than other days, that parents, surprised at the sudden 'holiday', arrived at the school to check and caught the lovebirds allegedly locked in an embrace.

Enraged, the parents took the matter to the police, who arrived at the school and took the principal and headmistress off to the police station. An FIR was registered under Section 294 of IPC, pertaining to obscene act carried out in public place, which is punishable with imprisonment for up to three months or a fine or both. The principal and headmistress were later released on bail late Tuesday night.

Circle officer RR Katheria under whose jurisdiction the school falls said, “Villagers found them both on a mattress.” Policemen, the sub-divisional magistrate (SDM), the Basic Shiksha Adhikari (BSA) and the village head also arrived at the school as the principal and headmistress were taken away to the Chandpur police station.

BSA Rajesh Srivastava said, “The two have committed a grave offence.” The principal and headmistress were suspended on Wednesday. Both of them, however, denied any wrongdoing.

The principal said, “The charges are baseless. There is no denying the fact that the woman had come to the school. Everything else is fabricated.” The headmistress said she had only arrived at the school to meet a fellow teacher.

