Madras HC orders re-post-mortem of Kallakurichi schoolgirl

CHENNAI: Justice N Sathish Kumar of Madras High Court ordered a fresh autopsy in the death case of the Kallakurichi schoolgirl which will be video-graphed in the presence of the deceased’s father and his advocate.

The HC also directed the state police to form a special team to identify the people who had provoked violence in Kaniyamoor near Chinnasalem where the school is located.

“The re-autopsy shall be conducted with the doctors appointed by the court. The girl’s father and their advocate K Kesavan shall be present during the procedure. The entire post-mortem shall be video-graphed and submitted before the court. The girl’s family should take the body peacefully after the re-post-mortem is completed. The police should ensure law and order during the funeral rites,” the High Court observed.

The judge passed a slew of directions, including the fresh autopsy on hearing a petition filed by the deceased girl’s father.

Representing the victim’s family, advocate Sankara Subbu submitted that a re-post-mortem should be conducted in the case.

The court also laid down the regulations in future cases of deaths of students in educational institutions, saying that CB-CID police only should probe the case and a team of three doctors should conduct the autopsy.

Calling the Kallakurichi violence an organised crime, the judge wanted the police to nab all the accused and stringent action should be taken against them.

Justice Sathish Kumar also noted that the court will monitor the probe against the rioters, adding that the State police should not think that everything is over with this case and wanted them to think of this as a test case, to prevent such incidents in future.

“The police shall form special teams to identify the accused and a status report shall be filed on July 29 in connection with the violence,” the judge added.

The judge expressed his dissatisfaction against the litigant and state police for the “ law and order breakdown” in the school's area. The High Court insisted to the police that people who conducted parallel trials on social media, especially, on YouTube channels should also be traced.

The matter was posted on July 29.

It is noted that a protest over the suspicious death of a Class 12 girl in a private residential school had turned violent in Kallakurichi on Sunday. Several including police were injured and properties of the school were vandalized in the riot.