CHENNAI: A four-year-old LKG student died after he allegedly slipped and fell into an open septic tank near the rest room at Masi Matriculation Higher Secondary School in Srinivasapuram, Ayyapanthangal.
Police said the school had hired three workers to clear a septic tank blockage on Friday. When the workers took a tea break, they left the lid of the septic tank open.
Kirtheeswaran, who went to the rest room along with his classmates, did not notice the lid was open and fell into the tank.
“The victim had gone along with three other boys to the rest room (at least 50 metres from the classroom). He failed to notice that the lid of the septic tank was open and slipped into the tank filled with 10-foot-deep sewage water,” said a police officer investigating the case.
The victim is the elder son of Mohan, a mason, and his wife Sashikala. Other children informed the teachers, who rushed to the site and alerted the Fire and Rescue Services personnel. The boy’s body was fished out of the tank after a brief struggle.
“The school authorities had informed the parents around 12.30 pm that their son fell sick and was admitted in a private hospital. It was only after the parents reached the hospital that they were informed about their son’s death,” Kanchana, a neighbour, who was waiting at the mortuary, told Express.
Police said they have registered a case under IPC 304 for causing death due to negligence.
Following initial investigations, the cops revealed that the school had the practice of one of their staff accompanying children to the rest room, but on Friday, the toddlers had gone on their own.
As the news spread like hot fire on TV channels, parents of the other students rushed to the school to pick up their children. A few hours after the incident, students and staff left for home and all classrooms were locked.
“I saw the news on a TV channel and came to pick up my sister, but found there were no staff in the school after the incident. I am also an alumni of this school. This incident only shows the sheer negligence on the part of the school authorities. Even the classrooms are poorly maintained, but they charge high fees. Action has to be taken against them,” said Kishore.
A few agitated parents urged the police to take action against the management and the police pacified them. School officials could not be reached for comments.