The items recovered from the gutted school were marked as material objects in the case. These include five fully burnt cycles used by students, tiffin boxes, plates, partially burnt bamboo sticks, thatches and plastic bottles, according to the prosecution.
The prosecution marked 565 documents, including inquest reports of the 94 children, the death certificates issued by doctors, surprise inspection reports of Education Department officials and the sanctioning authorities’ proceedings.
Main submission
The main submission of the prosecution was that the management was negligent of the rules of the Tamil Nadu Recognised Private Schools (Regulation) Act.
The old thatches which had been removed after an inspection by Education Department officials were stacked in the noon meal centre behind the school where the fire broke out when meals were being prepared.
To boost the students’ strength, three teachers shifted the students of the English medium Saraswathi Nursery Primary School and those of Sri Krishna Girls High School to Sri Krishna Aided Private School on the first floor before the inspection.
This was done for appointment of teachers in the ratio 40:1. The three teachers ran out of the school without saving the students, the prosecution further said. Neither the Educational Officer nor the Town Planning Officer had inspected the school and the then Municipal Commissioner had failed to inspect the school even once during his tenure.
