2004 school fire tragedy: Plea to declare July 17 ‘child protection day’

During the homage gathering, parents urged the state government to declare the day as Children’s Protection Day and also declare a local holiday as a mark of respected to the departed souls.

The kin of the little victims assembled at the entrance of the ill-fated Krishna aided primary school building on Kasiraman street in Kumbakonam town and offered floral tributes to the portraits of the children printed on a giant flex banner. They also lit candle lights before the portraits.

Parents of the deceased children placed offerings like snacks and cakes. Some parents, grandparents and relatives broke down in front of the portraits.

Venkatachalam, the tahsildar, K Umamaheswari, municipal commissioner paid tributes on behalf of the district administration. Later, representatives of various political parties paid tributes to the child victims. Former MLA Rama Ramanathan (AIADMK), S Kalyanasundaram, S Tamilalagan (DMK), M Rengasamy (AMMK), Chinnai Pandian (CPM), M A Bharathi (CPI) and others paid homage. Following this, a silent procession was taken out from the school to the memorial for the children built at Palakkarai on the banks of Cauvery. At the culmination point also, many paid floral tributes to the departed children.

In the evening, parents of the deceased students released moksha deepam in the Mahamaham tank in the town. Earlier they also took out a procession from the school to the Mahamaham tank carrying earthen lamps.