On 1 July 2024, the Special Investigation Team probing the Kallakurichi Kaniyamoor private school riot case conducted an inquiry into Dravida Mani, the Secretary of the Cuddalore West Viduthalai Chiruthaigal Katchi (VCK) Party.
This investigation stems from the events following the mysterious death of a female student on 13 July 2022, at the Kaniyamoor private school near Chinna Salem in Kallakurichi district. Subsequently, protests by the student’s mother led to a riot on 17 July 2022, resulting in widespread looting at the school premises.
As a consequence, both the Collector and SP were transferred, and the case, encompassing both the student’s death and the ensuing riot, has been taken up by the CBCID police and a Special Investigation Team. Legal proceedings are underway at the Kallakurichi District Chief Criminal Justice Arbitration Court.
In response to a petition filed by the school management in the Madras High Court, highlighting the formation of the Watts Committee to investigate the riots and alleging coordination by Dravida Mani and the student’s mother, the Special Investigation Team summoned Dravida Mani. In this regard, Dravida Mani appeared before his lawyers at the office of the Special Investigation Team near Kallakurichi Police Station regarding the Kallakurichi Kaniyamoor Riot Investigation.
Madras High Court Criticizes Delay In Inquiry Amid Kaniyamoor Riot Allegations
On 27 June 2024, the Madras High Court criticized the Kallakurichi police for not yet questioning the mother of a Class XII girl, whose death at a private school sparked violent riots in Kaniyamoor village in July 2022. Despite allegations from the school correspondent that the woman and a politician had incited the rioters, the court expressed dismay, questioning why the inquiry into these individuals had not commenced.
Justice G Jayachandran, presiding over the bench asked, “Are you waiting for an auspicious day to inquire them,” during the hearing of C Ravikumar, the school correspondent seeking to transfer the investigation of four criminal cases related to the 2022 riots, rebuked the delay, asking rhetorically if the police were waiting for an opportune moment to conduct the inquiries. Ravikumar, who managed both Sakthi Matriculation School and ECR International School on the same campus where the incidents occurred, claimed that following the suicide of student R Srimathi on 13 July 2022, false information spread by the girl’s mother and the local politician led to widespread unrest.
The petitioner alleged that the girl’s mother had demanded a hefty compensation from him and, upon refusal, orchestrated a social media campaign accusing the school of involvement in human sacrifice, accompanied by hashtags like #JusticeforSrimathi, falsely insinuating rape and murder. This misinformation fueled a mob that vandalized school property, assaulted police officers, and looted valuables from Ravikumar’s residence.
Despite the registration of multiple FIRs, the police had not interrogated the mother, or the politician mentioned, which the petitioner lamented. In response, a government counsel informed the court that efforts were underway, including the examination of recovered mobile phones and awaited forensic reports.
However, Justice Jayachandran dismissed these explanations, emphasizing that statements from the accused should have been recorded long ago, and if evidence warranted, they should have been charged accordingly. He directed the investigating officer to complete the necessary inquiries promptly and adjourned the proceedings to 3 July 2024, granting a week for compliance.
(With inputs from Hindu Tamil)
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