A decade after a raging blaze snuffed out the lives of 94 children of a private school in Kumbakonam, the stage is now set for the judgment in the case.
The District and Sessions Court at Thanjavur, where the trial was held, will deliver the verdict on July 30.
The ghastly incident took place at the Sri Krishna High School in the temple town on July 16, 2004, raising serious questions about the state of basic education and safety in schools.
Eighteen students suffered grievous injuries in the fire at the school that was sandwiched between residential buildings on Kasiraman Street.
The entire arguments pertaining to the case concluded at the court on Thursday. Principal District and Sessions Judge Mohamed Ali posted the case for judgment on July 30, according to the prosecution. Although there were 24 persons named as accused, the cases against three accused were subsequently withdrawn by the government.
Among the 21 accused include school correspondent ‘Pulavar’ Palanisamy, his wife Saraswathi, adopted daughter Shanthalakshmi, then Kumbakonam Municipal Commissioner Sathyamurthy and Town Planning Officer Murugan, besides some Education Department officials.
The Kumbakonam East police booked the case under IPC sections, including 304 (culpable homicide not amounting to murder) read with 120-B (conspiracy), 338 (causing grievous hurt by act endangering life or personal safety of others) 465 (forgery) 285 (negligent conduct with respect to fire or combustible matter) and 199 (false statement made in declaration) besides section 23 of the Juvenile Justice Act, sections 46 and 47 of the Tamil Nadu Recognised Private Schools (Regulation) Act, 1973 and section 320 of the Tamil Nadu District Municipalities Act.
The charge sheet runs to about 5,000 pages and the trial commenced on September 24, 2012, over eight years after the tragedy. Special Public Prosecutor R. Madhusudhanan is the government counsel.
Out of the 501 witnesses, 230 of them were examined during trial that included student survivors and parents of the 94 children.
The main contention of the prosecution is that the prime accused — Palanisamy, along with second accused — Saraswathi and third accused Shanthalakshmi did not follow the rules and regulations of the Education Department.
There were three schools which functioned within the same building — Sri Krishna Aided Private School, Saraswathi Nursery and Primary School and Sri Krishna Girls High School — with the students’ strength exceeding 700.
In order to boost students’ strength of the school, children in the English medium Saraswathi Nursery School and Sri Krishna Girls High School were sent to the Krishna Aided Primary School during the time of inspection of Education Department officials, the prosecution contended.
This was done for the purpose of appointment of teachers in the ratio 40:1. The fire that broke out in the noon meal kitchen shed spread to the first floor.
