Krishnagar, April 15: A primary school headmaster has been demoted and transferred for allegedly forcing students to eat rice and salt for their mid-day meal as punishment for naughtiness.

Amal Kumar Saha, 50, the headmaster residing in Patabuka in Nadia’s Karimpur area, where the school is also located, has been made teacher in-charge and posted in a school in Tehatta, 40km from his home and close to the Bangladesh border.

The Nadia Primary School Council, which ordered Saha’s transfer last week, said an inquiry was on and Saha could face more stringent action like suspension or dismissal.

On March 30, three teachers were absent in Patabuka Primary School, about 180km from Calcutta. Saha and another teacher were having a tough time managing the 300-odd students.

The headmaster, known for his strictness, went to each class and told the students to stay quiet, but as soon as he left one class, the children started shouting.

Saha got angry and told the cook not to serve any vegetables or pulses for the mid-day meal. The students would get only rice with salt, he said.

“The headmaster ordered the cook to serve only rice with salt. He took all the vegetables, pulses and eggs kept in the storeroom to his house so that the cook would not be able to violate his orders,” Biswas said. “He instructed the only teacher present to ensure that each student ate that tasteless meal.”

The next day, Saha brought the food items back to school. But parents of some students went to the school that day and demanded an explanation from him. “He told us he had done the right thing. He also told us that our children deserved what they got,” said Subol Roy, a farmer whose son Mihir is in Class III.

Two days later, the guardians lodged a complaint against Saha with the council.

Saha declined comment. about the penalty. “But I have done nothing wrong,” he said.