Kozhikode: The dismissal of the second teacher from the Perambra Block Resource Centre (BRC), following her arrest in the narcotics case, has deepened the shock and concern over an incident that has shaken Kerala's education sector.

What began with the arrest of a young physical education teacher has now expanded into a wider police investigation involving two educators from the same institution. With both teachers now dismissed from service and police probing allegations that they were part of a narcotics distribution network, the case has sparked widespread concern and disbelief among parents, students and fellow teachers.

On Monday, the General Education Department terminated the services of 29-year-old Kavya, a special educator attached to the autism centre under the Perambra BRC at Cheruvaloor GLP School. Her dismissal came days after the termination of Keerthana, a physical education teacher under the same BRC, who was arrested earlier in the case. Both women have been accused by police of involvement in a narcotics distribution network. The allegations are under investigation.

With both teachers now out of service, the case has moved beyond the arrest of two female teachers to a broader discussion about the growing reach of narcotics and its impact on institutions that work closely with children. The allegations have drawn particular attention because Keerthana had been an active participant in anti-drug awareness programmes conducted in schools.

Keerthana, a native of Maruthonkara, was arrested last week after police, during the anti-narcotics drive Operation Toofan, allegedly tracked suspicious financial transactions linked to the case. On Saturday, police arrested Kavya, a native of Koorachundu, in connection with the same investigation, sending shock waves through the education community.

The investigation took a decisive turn after the recent arrest of a man found in possession of MDMA in the district. During questioning, he told police that drugs could be ordered through a contact number based in the Gulf.

According to investigators, anyone seeking narcotics had to send a message to that number, following which a QR code was shared for payment. After the payment was confirmed, the dealers would send the buyer a photograph of the location where the drugs had been hidden for collection. Police said the financial trail led them to the QR code, which was linked to Keerthana's bank account. Further investigation into the transactions allegedly revealed large financial dealings through the accounts of the two teachers, eventually leading to their arrests.

Both teachers had been working with children who required special educational support. Keerthana was handling classes at Ramallur GLP School and Vrindavan AUP School on Chembra Road. During the previous academic year, she had also worked at Kayanna UP School. Kavya was serving as a special educator at the autism centre functioning at Cheruvaloor GLP School.

Inside the Perambra BRC, colleagues say the arrests came as a complete surprise. They knew the two teachers were close friends and often spent time together, but say they never suspected anything beyond that.

"We thought they were discussing family matters as both were divorced. We never imagined they could be connected to any anti-social activity," said Sajima K, Block Programme Coordinator of the Perambra BRC. She said the office had convened a meeting immediately after Keerthana's arrest. "Even then, we never expected another arrest. Kavya's arrest was a bigger shock for all of us," she said.

According to Sajima, there had been no serious complaints against either teacher. She, however, confirmed that the head teacher of Ramallur GLP School had once complained that Keerthana's classes were not effective. Following the complaint, the BRC issued her a warning and forwarded the matter to the District Resource Centre (DRC).

Police are also examining Keerthana's previous postings at Kunnummal and Panthalayani BRCs. BRC officials acknowledged that there had earlier been a complaint related to a financial transaction during her tenure at Panthalayani, though they said it was unrelated to the present narcotics investigation.

Meanwhile, the case has taken a political turn. UDSF activists staged a protest in front of the Perambra BRC on Monday, alleging that more staff members were linked to the alleged narcotics network and demanding their dismissal. The protesters also claimed that complaints against the arrested teachers had been ignored because they were politically appointed.

BRC authorities strongly denied the allegations, maintaining that there had been no information suggesting the teachers were involved in criminal activities.

Meanwhile, Kozhikode Rural Police has constituted a Special Investigation Team (SIT) to conduct a detailed probe into the case. District Police Chief (Rural) Merin Joseph said the team would conduct a detailed investigation into the alleged role of the two teachers and examine whether they were part of a larger narcotics network. The investigation will also look into the source of the narcotic substances and whether others are involved.