Parents to appeal against acquittal in Kumbakonam school fire case

August 01, 2014 01:59 pm | Updated 01:59 pm IST - TIRUCHI

Disappointed by the acquittal of 11 persons in the Kumbakonam school fire case, the parents of the students who perished in the blaze have planned to file an appeal.

Eight among the 11 acquitted were government officials and the rest were teachers of Sri Krishna Aided Primary School where the fire had broken out.

K. Inbaraj, secretary of the ‘Kumbakonam Pallitheevipathu Pathikapatta Pertrorgal’ – a body comprising parents of the victims – told The Hindu on the phone on Thursday that “we will approach counsel after obtaining a copy of the judgment pronounced on Wednesday by Thanjavur Principal District and Sessions Court Judge Mohammed Ali before filing an appeal.”

The court convicted 10 accused, including school founder ‘Pulavar’ Palanisamy (85), his wife P. Saraswathy (81), his adopted daughter and headmistress J. Santhalakshmi (52).

Palanisamy was awarded life sentence, while the others were sentenced to five-year imprisonment each.

Mr. Inbaraj said: “We respect the verdict delivered by the court and welcome the sentence awarded to the accused.” However, the acquittal of 11 persons disappointed the parents.

The three teachers who were acquitted did not bother to save the children when they were trapped in the fire, he said.

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