KUMBAKONAM: Homage was paid by parents of the children killed in the fire accident at Sri Krishna School at Kumbakonam on July 16, 2004 as part of 15th year anniversary of the gory incident on Tuesday.
As many as 94 children were killed and 18 were injured in the accident. Parents of the deceased garlanded the portrait of their children in their respective houses and later came to the school and paid homage before the digital board of the 94 children kept in the school. They offered eatables to the children and wailed recalling the gory incident.
From there they went to the memorial for the children at Palakarai on the banks of Cauvery and paid homage. In the evening they lit 'Moksha Deepam' and set them afloat in the 'Mahamaham' tank.
Members of the public also paid their homage. Those who visited the school and memorial and placed wreaths include Suba. Thamizhazhagan, former municipal chairman of DMK, K. Arivalagan, union secretary of AIADMK, Rathna Sekar, former Kumbakonam municipal chairperson, M. Rangasamy, treasurer of AMMK, Chinnai Pandiyan, town secretary of CPI(M) and A. Bharathi, district secretary of CPI.
Parents appealed to the government to observe July 16 as 'child protection day' and declare a local holiday for Kumbakonam on that day every year.
