The in-charge headmaster of a government school in Bihar’s Muzaffarpur has been suspended after a video showing him sprinkling Ganga water inside his office went viral on social media, prompting the education department to order a departmental inquiry.

Gyan Prakash, in-charge headmaster of Shivanandan Higher Secondary School in Muraul block, was seen in the video reciting mantras and sprinkling Ganga water around his office and chair in what appeared to be a “purification” ritual. The video, recorded on September 4, came to the attention of education officials after it was widely circulated online.

Following the incident, Muzaffarpur District Education Officer (DEO) Kumar Arvind Sinha sought an explanation from Prakash. The education department's preliminary assessment described the conduct as an act of indiscipline and negligence of duty.

The department also withheld the headmaster’s salary and ordered a formal departmental inquiry. Officials said such conduct could adversely affect the academic environment of a government school and emphasised that government employees are expected to uphold principles of impartiality, scientific temper and mutual respect in educational institutions.

The controversy emerged shortly after a change in the school’s leadership. Prakash took charge as in-charge headmaster on September 2, succeeding former in-charge headmaster Sushil Kumar Chaudhary. The timing of the ritual led to speculation online about the reason behind the act.

Prakash, however, denied that the ritual had anything to do with caste or religion. He said offering prayers was part of his regular routine and that he usually begins his day by paying respects to Goddess Saraswati.

According to Prakash, he sprinkled Ganga water while performing his routine prayers after taking charge of the school. He claimed that some teachers jokingly suggested that he “purify” the office and chair, following which the video was recorded.

The headmaster also alleged that the video was later circulated on social media with malicious intent. He maintained that there was no discriminatory intention behind the act and insisted that all teachers were treated equally.

“There was no such intention on my part. All teachers are equal. There is no question of caste, religion or faith in this,” he said.

The departmental inquiry is now expected to examine the circumstances surrounding the incident and determine whether the headmaster’s conduct violated service rules or affected the functioning and environment of the government school.

For now, the suspension and salary withholding remain part of the department’s administrative action, while the headmaster’s explanation and the circumstances behind the viral video are subject to the inquiry.