A 48-year-old man was arrested for allegedly instigating a schoolgirl to mix cow dung powder in sambar prepared under the Perunthalaivar Kamarajar Breakfast Scheme at a Government Middle School near Sathyamangalam in Erode district.

The school at Ramapailur has 51 students. The incident came to light on August 31 when Revathi, a teacher at the school, tasted the sambar prepared for the breakfast programme to check its quality, and found it bitter. She informed headmistress Kumudha, following which the headmistress, on the advice of the Sathyamangalam Block Development Officer, lodged a complaint with the Sathyamangalam police.

During the inquiry, officials found that cow dung powder had been mixed only with a small quantity of sambar kept separately for the teacher to taste and that it had not been mixed with the sambar served to the students.

The police said their investigation revealed that Arumugam had allegedly given ₹10 to a schoolgirl and asked her to buy cow dung powder from a nearby shop and mix it with the sambar served to the students. The girl bought a snack for ₹5 and used the remaining ₹5 to purchase cow dung powder, which she mixed with sambar kept separately for the teacher to taste. The police said the powder was not mixed with the sambar served to the students.

The investigation also revealed that Arumugam’s wife, Alammal, had earlier worked as a cook at the school. She was reportedly replaced after complaints about the quality of cooking, following which Arumugam was allegedly upset over the appointment of another cook.

Based on the inquiry, the Sathyamangalam police on Thursday night arrested Arumugam and produced him before the Sathyamangalam Court. He was subsequently remanded in judicial custody.