Father of four-year-old Aarudra, who died after drowning in the sump of a private school in K.K. Nagar in Madurai, has filed a petition before the Madurai Bench of the Madras High Court seeking appropriate compensation. He blamed the Madurai district administration and the school for negligence that resulted in the death of his daughter.

The petitioner T. Amuthan of Uthangudi said he had admitted his daughter to Sri Kindergarten Playschool in K.K. Nagar. On April 29, she drowned in an uncovered sump inside the school premises at around 10.20 a.m.. It was due to the gross negligence on the part of the school authorities and failure of duty on the part of officials, he said.

He said the school owed a duty of care towards his daughter and blatantly breached it, resulting in her untimely death. The school authorities had failed to maintain a safe and secure environment for the students. They failed to take precautions to prevent such foreseeable accidents. There was a clear lack of supervision and security.

The authorities had a statutory duty to inspect the school premises before granting recognition to private schools, as mandated by Tamil Nadu Private Schools (Regulation) Rules, 2023. The authorities failed to conduct a proper site inspection and did not carry out periodic inspections thereafter, he said.

He said the school conducted unauthorised summer classes despite instructions prohibiting the same. As per Rule 38 there were no first aid facilities in the school and the staff lacked training in handling emergencies. Madurai district administration and the school have to pay just and fair compensation for the death of his daughter, he said and sought a compensation of ₹50 lakh.

Justice S. Srimathy ordered notice to Madurai district administration and the school authorities and posted the matter for hearing to August 22.