The Karnataka government may have declared a holiday on Tuesday for educational institutions to mourn the demise of Shri Shivakumara Swami, but an unaided private school in Belagavi took its students out on a picnic. The school has since been served a notice for showing disrespect to the government order by celebrating during the three-day mourning period announced as a mark of respect for the 111-year-old seer of Siddaganga Mutt who died on Monday. The school has been severely criticized from all quarters of society.

Management of the private school took the students to a water park for a picnic. According to the regulations of Department of Public Instructions, the period of taking students to joy trips and picnics ended in December and schools are not supposed to take students on excursions from January, as they need to prepare for examinations. All students who went to the picnic are X Graders, who are to appear for their board examination in March. 

Several attempts to contact the principal of the school failed. The Deputy Director of Public Instructions, A B Pundalik said, "I am aware of the trip the school undertook on the day of state mourning. We have initiated an inquiry into the matter, besides serving the school a notice."