Rs 10 crore — that's the amount of loss that the private school at Kallakurichi has incurred following the mob violence, torching and vandalising.
It was on Sunday, 17, following the death of a Class XII girl who jumped from the third floor to the ground floor of the hostel in the private school that the mob violence followed, as stated in a report by IANS.
It was on July 13 that the student allegedly died by suicide and on July 17 the vandalising and arson took place from 9.30 am to about 2.30 pm.
Fire Force officer Kannan, who led a team of fire and rescue personnel to the scene, while speaking to IANS pointed out: "When we reached the spot, we found parts of school burning and gutted buses. We tried to douse the fire by spraying water, but stones were being pelted on us and we had to quit. We changed clothes and waited in mufti till the issue settled down after police action began."
The fire officer informed that 17 school buses, two tractors, a generator, a police bus, two earth movers, 30 bikes, and three cars, including a luxury one, were damaged. As many as 170 classrooms were destroyed and the buildings have developed cracks. Classes cannot be resumed now, he said.
The computer room which accommodated 100 students was also destroyed totally. More than 500 ceiling fans were damaged and the Fire department is assessing the losses.
Fire officer Kannan while speaking to IANS underlined: "The fire department has to give a No Objection certificate for the classes to resume but the school is now totally damaged and buildings have developed cracks and can crumble down. We will have to do a detailed damage study and the school have to do proper renovation so that the clearance is given."
Since it will take at least two months of renovation, the parents are worried about when exactly the classes will begin.
The new superintendent of Police, Kallakurichi district, R. Pakalavan, who assumed office on Wednesday, had told media persons that all those behind the violence would be brought before the law of the land and no one will be spared. The law of the land will be implemented in the area.
R. Pakalavan visited the school and its premises and spoke to a section of people.
More than 220 people, including people from Western Tamil Nadu, have been arrested in connection with the violence.
Madras High Court had blamed the police for the incident. Justice Satish Kumar in an open court said that this would make people believe that Tamil Nadu has turned into a lawless land.
Immediately after the court's observation, the Kallakurichi district collector P.N. Sridharan and district superintendent of police M. Selvakumar were transferred.
The residential school was opened by one Parvathi three decades ago in a thatched shed with seven students and has now grown into an international school with a sprawling campus housing 2,500 students.
