Kumbakonam fire tragedy verdict today

A Thanjavur court will pronounce the final verdict, in the case where 94 children of a Kumbakonam school were charred to death in a gruesome tragedy in 2004, on Wednesday.

As many as 18 children were seriously injured. A total of 21 persons were named in the 4,500-page charge sheet filed by the prosecution.
The latest arguments concluded on July 17.

Though there were 24 accused initially, the Tamil Nadu government had withdrawn the charges against three of them.

Of the total of 501 witnesses, 230 were examined during the trial, which included survivors (children) and parents of the 94 children who lost their lives.

The tragic incident which brought to light poor safety conditions for children in schools across the country occurred on July 14, 2004 in Kumbakonam, when a fire sparked from the make-shift noon meal kitchen spread to the thatched hut in the first floor, snuffing out 94 lives. At the time of the incident, over 200 children were in the thatched roof class room.

The narrow building on Kasiraman Street, which housed three schools together — Sri Krishna Aided Private School, Saraswathi Nursery and Primary School and Sri Krishna Girls High School - with the students’ strength exceeding 700 - did not have necessary fire safety equipment.