The Karnataka High Court has refused to quash criminal proceedings against the headmistress of a government school in Tumakuru district after a Class 2 student suffered severe burn injuries by falling into an open vessel of hot sambar during the school midday meal programme.
A single-judge bench of Justice K. Rajesh Rai passed the order while hearing a criminal petition filed by Shobha, 56, the headmistress of the government higher primary school at Tarur village in Sira taluk. She had sought the cancellation of the first information report registered at the Kallambella police station and the proceedings pending before the Sira Principal Civil and JMFC Court.
The case relates to an accident on June 15, 2023, involving the student identified as Rithvika. According to the complaint filed by her father, C. Rangaiah, the girl fell into an open vessel containing hot sambar at the school. She suffered burn injuries extending from her thigh to half of her back, the complaint stated.
Rangaiah filed the police complaint on July 6, 2023, naming the headmistress and the school’s cooking workers, Jayamma, Nagamani and Manjamma. He alleged that negligence by the workers and the headmistress had caused the accident and sought legal action against them.
The police investigation led to the filing of a chargesheet before the trial court under Sections 285 and 337 of the Indian Penal Code, according to the report. Section 285 concerns negligent conduct with respect to fire or combustible matter, while Section 337 concerns causing hurt by an act endangering life or the personal safety of others.
During the hearing, the petitioner sought to end both the FIR and the trial-court proceedings. The court, however, accepted the argument advanced on behalf of the injured student’s father that the headmistress had responsibility for appointing and supervising the school’s cooks.
The court was also told that the government had issued guidelines covering the preparation and serving of midday meals to students. The argument on behalf of the child’s family was that the headmistress had failed to ensure compliance with those safeguards. On that basis, the court declined to quash the FIR and the proceedings.
The order leaves the criminal case before the trial court. The ruling does not determine guilt, which will be considered through the trial process. It places the focus on the administrative responsibilities attached to running a school kitchen, including the supervision of meal preparation and service in a setting where young children are being served hot food.
The next stage is the continuation of proceedings before the Sira Principal Civil and JMFC Court, where the chargesheet filed by the police remains pending.
