After eight long years, the trial on the Kumbakonam School fire that killed 94 innocent children, began in Thanjavur district court on Friday.
On July 16, 2004, the government-aided Sri Krishna primary school on Kasiraman Street was gutted in the country’s worst-ever fire accident in a school. Following the incident, police filed a case against the school founder, correspondent, teachers, education department officials and Kumbakonam Municipality officials. Legal wranglings had so far delayed the case to come up for hearing. The accident created a nation-wide uproar seeking safety in schools.
The state government constituted Justice K Sampath committee to probe the accident and give a recommendation report to the government. The School Education department on the other hand appointed former SSA Director M P Vijaykumar to study the needs for schools and its infrastructure.
The Supreme Court on February 5, 2004 sent a notice to the Centre and State seeking higher grants for the victims’ parents.
On Friday, the Thanjavur district court began framing charges against the 21 people accused in the case. However, Devi a school teacher and Jayachandran were not present on Friday. So, the judge postponed the case hearing to Monday.