Madras HC seeks reply on plea for Rs 50 lakh compensation over toddler's death in playschool sump

New Indian Express

4 days ago

MADURAI: The Madurai Bench of the Madras High Court on Thursday sought a response from the school education department on a man's petition seeking Rs 50 lakh compensation for the death of his three-and-a-half-year-old daughter, who had drowned in an open water sump at a playschool in Madurai.
Petitioner T Amuthan stated that he had admitted his daughter Aarudra to a playschool in Madurai by paying nearly Rs 37,000. On April 29, his wife received a call from the school that their daughter had fallen down and was taken to a private hospital. Upon reaching the hospital, the couple came to know that their daughter had drowned in a sump which had been left open and unfenced at the school, he said.
Blaming the school authorities for gross negligence, Amuthan claimed the school lacked first-aid facilities and that the staff were not trained in handling emergencies. He also criticised the school education authorities for allegedly failing to conduct periodic inspections, as stipulated under the Tamil Nadu Private Schools (Regulation) Rules, 2023, and sought the above direction.
Hearing the plea, Justice S Srimathy issued notices to the school education secretary and director, Madurai collector, the school management, among others, and directed the authorities to file a counter-affidavit before the next hearing on August 22.