UP: SP leader booked for leading kids' protest
Samajwadi Party leader Anjani Saroj has been booked after allegedly leading around 40 primary school kids in a protest against the Uttar Pradesh government's plan to merge schools with low enrollment.
The children, whose parents had agreed to their transfer from Sikandra village primary school to a nearby Anganwadi center, were reportedly given stationery and toffees before marching back to their old school with Saroj on July 30.
Investigation underway to determine if children were exploited
Police are reviewing protest videos to identify others involved, while a departmental inquiry is underway against an education officer for not properly overseeing the student transfer.
Investigations continue into whether children were exploited for political protests, as locals push back against the merger policy.