Kallakurichi school damaged after violent protests, students to be moved

Days after buildings and vehicles were burnt down in a private school in Kallakurichi, the district administration and education departments have found the presence of several cracks in the buildings, deeming the building to be unfit for use. According to news reports, around Rs 10 crore worth properties, including at least 170 classrooms, 17 school buses, 30 two wheelers and several other properties were damaged by the protestors.

Speaking to TNM, Chinnasalem fire station officer Kannan said that two of the three buildings in the campus have been burnt and there are cracks on several walls and ceilings of the building. “As of now, the building cannot be used. A team from the Taluk office will be inspecting the buildings and see how the building can be rectified or reconstructed. We will be deciding about what to do after that,” he said.

According to IANS, a total of 170 classrooms in the school were destroyed and most of the buildings in the school have developed cracks. The computer room which accommodated 100 students was also totally destroyed. More than 500 ceiling fans were damaged and the Fire department is assessing the losses. Apart from this the students of the school lost all their education-related document in the incident, leaving their near-future questionable.

When TNM contacted the Chief Educational Officer (CEO) Vijayalakshmi regarding the steps taken to facilitate the students to continue their education, she said that a meeting with the district officials headed by the collector Shravan Kumar Jatavath - who recently took charge - is to be convened on Thursday. “Decisions on what to do next will be taken during the meeting. We will be discussing if an alternative spot can be identified to run the school,” she said.

Kanimayoor Sakthi Matriculation school near Chinnasalem witnessed huge protests and arson on July 17, after a Class 12 student was found dead on the school’s hostel campus. While her family and friends held peaceful protests outside the school since her death, the situation took a violent turn when hundreds of persons - mostly youngsters and juveniles - came to the site on Sunday and started damaging the school.