A major irregularity involving government school textbooks has come to light in Uttar Pradesh’s Bahraich district, where 15,593 books meant for council-run schools have been found missing from a Basic Education Department warehouse. The case surfaced after a truck loaded with government textbooks was allegedly traced to a scrap dealer, triggering a detailed administrative inquiry that has already led to suspensions, contract cancellations and show-cause notices to several officials.
District authorities initiated a probe on February 16 after information emerged that a truck from Moradabad had transported a large consignment of school textbooks to Bahraich. Preliminary findings indicated that the books, valued in lakhs of rupees, were part of government supplies meant for distribution to students. However, records at the district warehouse did not properly reflect their receipt, pointing to serious lapses in inventory management and supervision.
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Stock mismatch and security failures
The inquiry committee found that the warehouse had neither maintained accurate stock registers nor ensured proper physical verification of incoming consignments. Security arrangements at the storage facility were also found to be inadequate, raising the possibility that the books were siphoned off over a period of time without detection.
Officials are now trying to establish whether the textbooks recovered from the scrap channel originated from the Bahraich warehouse or were diverted from another district. This question remains central to the investigation, as it could indicate a wider network of diversion of educational material.
Administrative action begins
Following the findings, two support staff members were suspended for negligence. Contracts of three personnel associated with the department were terminated with immediate effect. Show-cause notices have been issued to the assistant finance and accounts officer in charge, as well as two block education officers, seeking explanations for the lapses.
Some of the officers have reportedly claimed that they were not formally included in the security and custody committee for the warehouse and therefore should not be held accountable. However, the district magistrate is personally monitoring the probe, and further action against additional officials is likely depending on the outcome of the verification process.
Missing scrap dealer and truck driver
The scrap dealer identified as Dilshad and the truck driver from Moradabad have been absconding since February 16. Police have formed three teams to trace them and are using surveillance inputs to track their movements. Raids are being conducted at multiple locations, but no arrests had been made at the time of filing this report.
Investigators believe that questioning the two suspects will be crucial in establishing the supply chain through which the textbooks were diverted and sold as scrap.
Impact on students and governance concerns
The missing books were intended for distribution in government schools, and their diversion could have directly affected students’ access to study material. Education officials are now conducting a physical verification of remaining stock and assessing whether emergency redistribution is required to prevent disruption in classrooms.
The case has also raised broader concerns about monitoring of educational resources, internal controls in storage facilities and accountability mechanisms within the department.
Wider implications
Authorities have not ruled out the possibility of a larger racket involving the diversion of government supplies. If confirmed, the case could lead to criminal proceedings in addition to departmental action. Forensic examination of stock records, transport logs and communication data is being considered to map the movement of the missing consignment.
Officials said strict action would be taken against all those found responsible, and systemic measures would be introduced to prevent recurrence, including digital inventory tracking, periodic audits and strengthened warehouse security.
The incident has exposed serious gaps in the handling of educational resources and underscored the need for tighter administrative oversight to ensure that materials meant for students are not lost to negligence or illicit trade.
About the author – Ayesha Aayat is a law student and contributor covering cybercrime, online frauds, and digital safety concerns. Her writing aims to raise awareness about evolving cyber threats and legal responses.
