Balangir: In a shocking incident, a teacher of Odisha Adarsha Vidyalaya in the Patnagarh area of Odisha's Balangir district was compelled to attend school on Friday despite his deteriorating health, with a saline drip attached to his hand as his leave application was rejected. The incident has sparked outrage among fellow teachers and the locals.

The teacher, Prakash Bhoi, hails from Jalia village under the Belpada block in the district and teaches Mathematics at the school. According to reports, he had applied for leave via WhatsApp two days prior, citing illness and the need to attend his grandfather’s funeral. However, school principal Bijayalaxmi Pradhan allegedly denied his request, forcing him to report to work.

Despite his poor health, Bhoi came to school on Thursday and was even sent on official duty to the District Project Coordinator (DPC) office in Balangir. Battling fever, he also visited a hospital before returning home that day.

On Friday, his condition worsened, yet he attended school with a saline drip still attached to his hand. The sight of the ailing teacher in such distress angered his colleagues and the locals.

Speaking to the media persons, Bhoi said the principal often displayed favouritism towards some teachers while neglecting others. "This is not the first time I have faced such a situation. Despite having valid reasons, my leave was not approved," he claimed.

Reacting to the incident, Patnagarh Block Education Officer (BEO) Shankar Prasad Majhi said an inquiry has been initiated, and strict action will be taken against the principal if found guilty.