The body of a class five student found with severe burns on the night Wednesday, December 15, in Pachalur, Dindugal has shocked Tamil Nadu. The girl, a student of the Panchayat Union School in Pachalur, close to Thandikudi near Kodaikanal was found behind the premises of her school. According to reports, the 10-year-old was alive when she was found on Wednesday evening after 6 pm. However, she succumbed to her burns while being taken by her parents to the hospital in Oddanchatram village in the district for treatment.
The child’s mortal remains were brought to the Dindigul Chief Government Hospital for post mortem on the morning of Thursday, December 16. According to preliminary investigation, there are no signs or marks on the child’s body to indicate sexual assault, Kodaikanal Deputy SP Srinivasan told the media. However, detailed post mortem reports are awaited for a confirmation on the same.
According to reports, the child stepped out of the school during her interval at 11.30 am, and did not return. It was only after an hour that the teachers noticed the student’s absence and informed her older sister, who is studying in class 6 in the same school. After a search, students found the child’s body on a hilly terrain near the school.
According to reports, the investigating officials, who include the Thandikudi police and the DSP Kodaikanal, interrogated the teachers of the school where the girl studied. However, no arrest has yet been made in the case.
Meanwhile the girl’s relatives and the public staged a road blockade protest in Oddanchatram demanding that the police identify and arrest the accused persons. Speaking to the media, Arul Pandian, the child’s maternal uncle, said, “The police officers and some DMK leaders spoke to the child’s parents. We don’t know what happened inside, and what the conversation was. But so far, no arrests have been made in the case yet. And I am losing hope that we will get justice. The police have also asked us to do the cremation once we receive the body after post mortem.”
At the Dindigul Government Hospital, Palani MLA IP Senthilkumar and district Superintendent of Police Srinivasan IPS promised the child’s relatives that the accused persons will soon be identified and arrested.