Students orchestrated gas leaks in Tiruvottiyur school to skip class: police

Gas leak incidents at a school in Tiruvottiyur were orchestrated by students to skip class, police investigation reveals.

A preliminary investigation into the gas leak incident at a Tiruvottiyur school revealed that it was orchestrated by the students to skip class, the Greater Chennai Police (GCP) have said.

On October 25, 45 students were admitted to hospitals after a suspected gas leak at the Victory Matriculation Higher Secondary School’s chemistry lab. Again on November 4, 10 students from the school were admitted to hospitals after they complained of dizziness and vomiting allegedly due to a second suspected gas leak. The students’ parents also staged a protest against the school administration, and it was closed until further orders.

The GCP, Greater Chennai Corporation, and the Tamil Nadu Pollution Control Board conducted an investigation into the incidents.

A senior police officer said: “We conducted a thorough investigation. The TNPCB also carried out a field study to ascertain the source of the alleged leaks. Preliminary investigation showed that there were no leaks from any industry or laboratory in the area as alleged by the students. We suspect the students orchestrated the incidents to skip class. Further investigation is on.”