Two students of a prestigious government college in Indore have been booked for allegedly creating a fake letter claiming the death of their principal. The letter was circulated on social media in an attempt to stall online exams and postpone classes, police said on Thursday.

The Bhanwarkuan police station registered a case on Wednesday night after a complaint from Dr Anamika Jain, principal of the Government Holkar Science College. Police said the two accused are third-semester Bachelor of Computer Applications (BCA) students.

The FIR was filed under Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS) section 336(4), which deals with intentionally creating false documents to defame someone. Conviction under this section can lead to up to three years in prison and a fine, officials said.

Details of the fake letter

According to police, the students created a letter titled “Important Information” using the college’s letterhead. The letter falsely stated that due to the “sudden demise” of Principal Jain, online exams scheduled for October 15-16 would be postponed and all classes suspended.

Police said the incident occurred on October 14 as part of an alleged plan to disrupt exams and regular classes.

When contacted, Principal Jain told PTI, "My family and I are extremely distressed after this fake letter was circulated on social media. Believing the letter to be genuine, many people even visited my home to express their condolences."

She added that the police should take strict legal action against the students to prevent similar incidents in the future. Without naming anyone, she also alleged that some disgruntled elements in the college have been harassing her through malicious activities to stop her from performing her official duties.