Uttarakhand School's Shocking Anti-Mobile Exercise Leaves Students Crying, Screaming; Probe Ordered

A school in the Indian state of Uttarakhand has come under official investigation following an incident where anti-mobile phone exercises left several students crying and screaming. The event took place at Adarsh India Montessori School in Biria Majhola, Khatima, within the Udham Singh Nagar district.

The purpose of the exercise was to educate children about the potential dangers of excessive smartphone usage and prolonged screen time. During the activity, a student was blindfolded with bandages, and red-coloured liquid was applied around his eyes to create the illusion of a severe eye injury. The student then claimed that the injury was caused by the excessive use of mobile phones, which allegedly led to the removal of both his eyes by doctors.

The revelation caused panic among the students, with many of them breaking down in tears and screaming in fear. A video recording of the exercise subsequently circulated on social media, depicting the students repeatedly expressing their resolve to abstain from using mobile phones and promising to keep a distance from them in the future.

The school had intended to use this activity as a practical demonstration of the potential consequences of excessive screen exposure, especially for children who spend considerable time gaming or engaging with social media platforms. However, the approach rapidly drew criticism after it provoked significant distress among the students.

Upon learning about the incident, local authorities, including the Udham Singh Nagar District Education Officer Harendra Kumar Mishra and the Khatima Sub-Divisional Magistrate Tushar Saini, ordered a thorough inquiry into the matter. They expressed concern over activities that might frighten children and advised the school management against conducting programs that could have a negative impact on students. The final course of action would be determined following the submission of the investigation report.