Worm in sambar row at Kerala sports meet: Teacher held, minister alleges plot to disrupt event

Kozhikode: Kunnamangalam police have arrested a 35-year-old teacher in connection with an alleged attempt to disrupt the state school sports meet by displaying a worm purportedly found in sambar served at the athletes’ dining hall. The arrested is identified as Jijo James, a native of Parakkal in Perumbavoor, Ernakulam.

The incident occurred on Wednesday afternoon when Jijo allegedly claimed to have found a worm in the food served to students and others attending the meet at the National Institute of Technology (NIT) ground in Kozhikode. He also shared a video of the alleged discovery on social media.

The incident triggered a commotion at the dining hall, leaving the NIT ground, the main venue of the sports meet, tense for a considerable time.

Two separate cases have been registered in connection with the incident under Sections 170 and 192 of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS).

According to the FIR, the accused deliberately provoked unrest at the dining hall by displaying a worm and claiming it had been found in the sambar. The second case relates to preventive action taken by the police amid apprehensions of a breach of public peace.

State General Education Minister N Shamsudheen alleged that the incident was part of a deliberate attempt to disrupt the sports meet for political reasons. Speaking to the media in Thiruvananthapuram, he claimed that the incident was staged and involved a sports teacher and two television channel representatives.

“The state school sports meet, which began in Kozhikode on October 25, has been proceeding smoothly. But there was a worm controversy over breakfast the other day, and now another such incident has occurred during lunch,” the minister said.

Shamsudheen questioned how two television channel representatives reached the spot almost immediately after the commotion began. He said the police would investigate the alleged conspiracy and that action would be taken against the teacher.

Pazhayidom Mohanan Namboothiri, who is in charge of preparing food at the meet, also alleged that the same person had complained about worms in different dishes on consecutive days.

“First, he said he had found a worm inside the puttu. Now he says a worm was found in the sambar. We prepare 400 litres of sambar, which boils for hours. How can anyone find a live worm in it?” he told Manorama Online.

Pazhayidom alleged that photographs of a worm placed on the side of a plate were being circulated to tarnish his reputation, built over 40 years. He said he had not faced such complaints before arriving in Kozhikode.

The state school sports meet, which began on October 25, will conclude on October 31.