Published Apr 29, 2025 | 5:50 PM ⚊ Updated Apr 29, 2025 | 5:50 PM
4-year-old girl dies after falling into water tank at Madurai playschool; 5 arrested
Synopsis: Aarudhra Sri, a four-year-old attending a summer camp at Sri Mazhalaiyar School in Madurai, died after falling into an uncovered 12-foot-deep water tank on 28 April. The tragic incident occurred while she was playing on the school premises. Though emergency services retrieved and rushed her to a nearby hospital, she could not be saved due to excessive water intake
A four-year-old girl tragically lost her life after falling into an uncovered water tank at a private playschool in Madurai’s KK Nagar on Monday, 28 April. The child, Aarudhra Sri from Uthangudi, was attending a summer camp at Sri Mazhalaiyar School when the incident occurred.
According to reports, Aarudhra was playing on the school premises when she accidentally fell into a 12-foot-deep tank that lacked proper safety measures.
Other children witnessed the incident and alerted teachers, who then contacted emergency services. Fire and rescue personnel recovered the child after a 30-minute operation and rushed her to a nearby hospital, but she could not be revived. Doctors said she had ingested a large amount of water.
The summer camp was attended by children from various schools across Madurai, and four teachers, along with the school administrator, were present during the incident.
The police have arrested five individuals, including the administrator, Divya, and four staff members, on charges of negligence.
Aarudhra’s father, Amudhan, accused the school of withholding information. “They said she had an accident and was admitted to the hospital, but didn’t tell us she had died,” he said. “No one from the school has come forward to speak to us.”
Following public outrage, authorities sealed the school premises. Officials from the education and municipal departments cited multiple safety violations, including the lack of barriers around the water tank.
The school will remain closed until further notice, and investigations are ongoing into its licensing and adherence to safety protocols.
(Edited by Ananya Rao with inputs from Subash Chandra Bose)
