CHENNAI: A plumber was nabbed and a case filed against school correspondents a day after M Kirtheeswaran, a four-year-old LKG student died after allegedly slipping into a septic tank, which was kept open near a rest room at Masi Matriculation Higher Secondary School in Srinivasapuram, Ayyapanthangal.
Mangadu police arrested plumber Darani Babu (27) and have launched a search for his associate Balaji. The police have registered a case against school correspondents Sumathi, Shanthi and Punithavathi and booked them under section IPC 304 for causing death due to negligence.
The school remained shut on Saturday. On Friday, the school hired three workers to clear the septic tank blockage when Kirtheeswaran, who went to the rest room with his classmates, seemed to have been unaware of the lid of the septic being left open by the workers and subsequently fell inside as the rest looked on.
The victim’s friends alerted the teachers who, in turn, alerted the fire and rescue officials who fished out the boy’s body. A case was registered.
Meanwhile, expressing deep grief over the boy’s death, CM Edappadi K Palaniswami granted a solatium of `1 lakh to the bereaved family.
Besides, the CM directed the directors of School Education, Collegiate Education and Matriculation Schools and all District Collectors to ensure that septic tanks and drinking water tanks are built adhering to safety measures. The CM also directed the School Education Department and the Kancheepuram district administration to conduct an enquiry into the incident and take appropriate action.