News Tamil Nadu

Three Arrested In Vikravandi St. Mary’s School Tragedy After 4-Year-Old Falls Into Uncovered Sewage Tank; Family Questions Inconsistencies In Incident

January 4, 2025
The Commune

On 4 January 2025, the Vikravandi police arrested three individuals, including the correspondent and principal of St. Mary’s Matriculation Higher Secondary School in Vikravandi, in connection with the tragic death of a four-year-old girl who fell into an uncovered septic tank on the school’s premises on 3 December 2025.

The arrested individuals were identified as the school’s correspondent, Emilda, principal, Dominique Mary, and class teacher, Angel.

The victim, Lia Lakshmi, was the daughter of Palanivel and Sivasankari, and an LKG student at the school. According to reports, the incident occurred around noon on 3 December when the child went to the restroom and accidentally slipped into an uncovered sewage tank. The tank’s lid was only partially covered and had rusted, posing a safety hazard. Teachers and staff quickly rushed Lia Lakshmi to the Government Villupuram Medical College and Hospital at Mundiyampakkam, where she was sadly declared dead.

In the aftermath of the incident, angry parents and local residents staged a road blockade on the East Vikravandi bypass, demanding accountability from the school management.

A preliminary police investigation indicated that the child’s death was a result of gross negligence on the part of the school. The septic tank lid, which should have been securely locked, was rusted and left open. School authorities had failed to address the issue, leading to the tragic accident. The investigation is ongoing.

Enraged relatives, speaking to the press, voiced their anger, saying, “Understand this — if it (septic tank) was already broken, they would have sealed it. But since they recently broke it, there is dust everywhere. Look at all this iron dust. There’s no way children could have gotten through this, that’s all.” Another relative, visibly upset, added, “The child should have died in a different way.”

Continuing with the accusations, they pointed out, “Look at this underwear — it’s dry. If she had fallen into (the septic tank), it should be wet, right? I can even wring out the cloth to show you… see, it’s completely dry.”

However, reports suggest that discrepancies have surfaced in the timeline of events. The headmaster stated the girl left for the restroom after 2 PM, but CCTV footage reveals that she was seen being carried near the septic tank at 1:50 PM. Additionally, the footage showing the girl being taken to the hospital indicates a time of 2:40 PM, raising questions about the nearly hour-long delay between her rescue and the hospital transfer.

Further doubts are being raised that the septic tank is situated on a higher ground, prompting questions about how a young UKG girl could have climbed such an incline. Additionally, the girl’s clothes were found intact, with no signs of waste or contamination, which contradicts the assumption that she fell into the septic tank. Moreover, the person seen carrying the girl in CCTV footage appears to do so without visible distress, which is unusual given the circumstances.

The difference in the times reported by the headmaster and shown in the CCTV footage has led to accusations of inconsistent statements from the school administration. The girl’s parents and relatives are demanding answers, questioning the conflicting information provided by the school and the unclear circumstances surrounding her death. And what was more shocking was the parents were not informed immediately after the incident.

The child’s mother, speaking to reporters, stated that no information were provided to her initially by the school management. When she first heard the news, she assumed it was about another child. She said, “We did not receive any call or SMS. We don’t know how she died. Who told you that she died? Did they tell you she died? We don’t know if she’s dead. First, ask them to tell us which hospital they took her to. The four teachers who went to the hospital should come here.”

(With Inputs From The Hindu)

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