False allegation of worm in food; Teacher arrested from state school sports meet venue

KOZHIKODE: A teacher was arrested at the state school sports meet venue for spreading false claims about a worm found in food served during the event. The Kunnamangalam police arrested Jijo James (35), a resident of Parakkal, Krariyeli, Perumbavoor. The action was taken following complaints filed by the event organisers and the Minister for Education.

He has been remanded to judicial custody by the Kunnamangalam First Class Magistrate Court.

Jijo is a teacher at an aided school in Perumbavoor. He has been suspended pending an investigation. Previously, SFI activists marched to the NIT grounds after allegations of a worm found in the breakfast served there. Subsequently, while arriving for lunch, Jijo made a false allegation and attempted to create unrest by displaying a live worm, claiming it was in the hot *sambar* he was eating. The police arrived at the scene and took Jijo into custody. Notably, he had contested as a UDF candidate in the Vengoor Grama Panchayat in Ernakulam district during the 2020 local body elections.

Education Minister N. Samsuddeen questioned the logic behind live worms in *sambar* that had been boiling for four hours, or in *puttu* that had been steam-cooked. The minister said this was all part of a pre-planned script and blamed anti-social elements for attempting to disrupt the children's sports meet.

“Do not mix politics with food. Spreading claims about finding live worms in piping-hot Sambar or steamed Puttu is a despicable tactic done for political gain,” said culinary expert Pazhayidom Mohanan Namboothiri.