On 13 July 2022 a 17-year-old Class 12 student was found dead at the hostel of a private residential school at Kaniyamoor, near Chinnasalem in Tamil Nadu's Kallakurichi district. Police cited a note blaming two teachers; her family alleged foul play. On 17 July a protest at the school turned violent: buses and police vehicles were torched, the school was set on fire and more than 50 police were reported injured. Investigators later called the death a suicide, and in 2025 charged 916 people, including the girl's mother, over the riot.
Key takeaways
- A 17-year-old Class 12 student was found dead at the hostel of the Sakthi Matriculation Higher Secondary School, Kaniyamoor, on 13 July 2022. Police said a note blamed two teachers; her family alleged foul play.
- On 17 July 2022 a crowd of about 3,000 stormed the campus, burned school buses, police vehicles and parts of the school, and clashed with police. PTI reported 52 police personnel injured.
- The DMK government moved the death case to the CB-CID, imposed Section 144, transferred the Collector and SP, and set up an SIT on the riot.
- The Madras High Court ordered a second autopsy, called the violence "motivated, planned and calculated", and later found "no iota of evidence" of rape or murder after a JIPMER review.
- The CB-CID's 2023 chargesheet called the death suicide. A 2025 SIT chargesheet charged 916 people over the riot, naming the girl's mother first accused. The riot trials were still being adjourned in 2026.
The death and the first accounts
The student, from neighbouring Cuddalore district, lived in a third-floor hostel room. She was found dead on 13 July 2022 and was suspected to have jumped from the top floor PTI via Tribune.
Claim · Police Police registered a case of unnatural death under Section 174(1) of the CrPC. They said a note found in her room alleged that two teachers had "tortured" her, leading her to take her own life The News Minute. The school said it was a suicide and denied any role in the death The News Minute.
Claim · Family Her family said the injuries on her body were not consistent with suicide. They cited injury marks in the first post-mortem Deccan Herald. Later, in the High Court, the parents alleged that she had been sexually assaulted and murdered LiveLaw.
Relatives and villagers protested daily for four days, backed by a political outfit and a Left youth wing, demanding a CB-CID probe and arrests PTI via Tribune.
How the protest grew
Before 17 July, "Justice for" WhatsApp groups with hundreds of members each spread across the area. Videos and forwards alleged a cover-up, some claiming sexual assault or even "human sacrifice" The News Minute.
False A CCTV clip shared as showing a relative of the school's owner entering the school at night was, according to Kallakurichi district police, unrelated to the incident The News Minute.
According to police, the crowd on 17 July included members of opposition parties and of allies of the ruling DMK, student groups, alumni and local residents The News Minute.
17 July: the violence at the school
At about 10 am a crowd broke through barricades and overpowered an outnumbered police force Deccan Herald. The News Minute put the crowd at around 3,000; an intelligence officer told it more than 3,500 came, against an expected 1,000 The News Minute.
- Vehicles: PTI counted 13 school buses, three police vehicles and several two-wheelers torched. The News Minute reported about 15 school buses and a police van burned, with a tractor used to ram buses Deccan Herald The News Minute.
- School: Classrooms and buildings were set on fire, and furniture and almirahs were carried out and burned on the road The News Minute PTI via Tribune.
- Police response: Police used lathi charges and opened fire in the air at least twice PTI via Tribune.
- Injuries: PTI reported 52 police personnel injured over nearly six hours, including Villupuram range DIG M Pandian and SP S Selvakumar. No deaths were reported Deccan Herald.
- Damage: A private schools' association first put the loss at Rs 5 crore. The management later told the High Court its internal estimate was about Rs 25 crore The News Minute LiveLaw.
The district administration imposed prohibitory orders under Section 144 of the CrPC in Kallakurichi taluk and parts of Chinnasalem from 17 to 30 July The News Minute.
Timeline
Student found dead
Unnatural death case registered TNM.
Violence; CB-CID takes over
DGP C Sylendra Babu moved the death case to the CB-CID, and the school's correspondent, secretary and principal were arrested DT Next.
Second autopsy ordered
Two teachers were arrested, and 120 people were produced in court over the violence DT Next.
Officials moved, SIT formed
The SP and Collector were transferred, and Salem range DIG Praveen Kumar Abhinapu was put in charge of the riot SIT TNM.
School reopens
Classes 9 to 12 resumed after more than 140 days Deccan Herald.
Riot chargesheet
The SIT charged 916 people ETV Bharat.
What the Madras High Court said
On the father's petition, Justice N Sathish Kumar on 18 July 2022 ordered a videographed second autopsy by court-appointed doctors. He also directed that deaths in educational institutions be probed by the CB-CID, with three-doctor autopsies Verdictum.
In its order, the court said the violence "was not mere eruption of sudden provocation, rather, it appears to be motivated, planned and calculated" The News Minute.
It was total chaos. It was as if there was total lawlessness.
Justice N Sathish Kumar, Madras High Court, 18 July 2022 (as reported by Verdictum)
The family sought a doctor of its choice on the second autopsy panel. The High Court refused, and the Supreme Court declined to intervene, telling the father's counsel, "You don't have trust on the High Court" Deccan Herald.
On 22 July the court asked a team of JIPMER doctors in Puducherry to analyse both autopsy reports. The family accepted the body after ten days and buried her in her village on 23 July Deccan Herald Deccan Herald.
On 26 August 2022, Justice G K Ilanthiraiyan granted bail to the correspondent, secretary, principal and two teachers. Citing the two post-mortems and the JIPMER panel's report, which corroborated them, he said "there is no iota of evidence for rape and murder". He held that teachers asking a student to study well "would not amount to abetment to commit suicide" The News Minute. The state had opposed bail, arguing the note attracted Section 305 IPC LiveLaw.
The mother challenged the bail order in the Supreme Court as reading like an acquittal, and notice was issued on 14 December 2022 LiveLaw. No final outcome was found.
Both accounts
Family's and protesters' account
The family said the death was not a suicide and that the two post-mortem reports contradicted each other DT Next. Their lawyer said the parents had no role in the violence: "If only the police had acted against the school management, protests wouldn't have happened. Police are responsible for the violence" Deccan Herald.
Police, school and government account
The school's management blamed the girl's mother for the riot and said, "we are transparent, and we never hide anything" Deccan Herald. The SIT later arrested WhatsApp group administrators and YouTubers it accused of inciting the riot, and cases were registered against more than 25 YouTube channels for spreading false information Oneindia Tamil.
The DMK government's position
Government's position Chief Minister M K Stalin, then in hospital with Covid-19 Deccan Herald, said on 17 July: "Following the investigation carried out on the death of the student, definite action will be taken on those responsible for her death... Keeping faith in the State government, I pray the public to remain calm" DT Next. He sent Home Secretary K Phanindra Reddy and DGP Sylendra Babu to Kallakurichi, and the DGP warned of "tough action" against those who turned violent PTI via Tribune.
The government moved the death probe to the CB-CID, transferred the SP and Collector, formed the SIT and opposed bail for the school staff The News Minute. The parents met Stalin on 27 August 2022, and the mother said afterwards, "We fully trust the Chief Minister. He has promised to punish the offenders" DT Next.
The opposition blamed the government. AIADMK leader Edappadi K Palaniswami said "the inaction on the part of the government paved the way for violence" Deccan Herald. PMK\'s Anbumani Ramadoss suspected "political reasons" behind the violence DT Next.
The two investigations
Into the death. In May 2023 CB-CID investigators filed a 1,152-page chargesheet in the Villupuram Chief Judicial Magistrate's court. As reported, it found no evidence of murder or sexual assault, said witnesses reported no harassment by the management or teachers, and stated that the five accused were not responsible for the death. Classmates said she did not want to stay in the hostel Thanthi TV Asianet News Tamil. On that basis the court dropped the two teachers from the case, and the mother sought the chargesheet and records to file objections DT Next Daily Thanthi.
Into the riot. By 29 August 2022 the SIT had arrested 53 people and apprehended three juveniles The News Minute. Arrest counts rose from 35 on 17 July (per ADGP Thamarai Kannan) to 300 to 350 within two days and 430 by December 2022 Deccan Herald TNM Deccan Herald.
On 7 February 2025 the SIT filed chargesheets of about 24,000 pages against 916 people: 858 in the Kallakurichi court and 58 in Villupuram, including juveniles before the juvenile court. The girl's mother was named first accused and a VCK district functionary second ETV Bharat. Claim · CPI(M) The CPI(M) said it was not credible that a grieving mother organised such violence within four days, called the charge intimidation, and sought an inquiry under a sitting High Court judge News7 Tamil.
Outcome
- Deaths in the violence: None reported. Injuries: 52 police, per PTI.
- Arrests: About 430 over the arson by December 2022; 916 charged in 2025.
- Death case: CB-CID chargesheet says suicide; the two teachers dropped from the case in 2023.
- School: Reopened for Classes 9 to 12 on 5 December 2022; the sealed third floor was ordered reopened in June 2024 DT Next.
Where things stand in 2026
In May 2025 more than 500 accused appeared in the Kallakurichi court on a single day Oneindia Tamil. In March 2026 the case over the ransacking of the campus, with 615 accused including the mother, of whom four have died, was adjourned to 5 May 2026 Dinamalar. No verdict in any of the riot cases, and no final ruling on the mother's objections to the death chargesheet, was found in reporting up to October 2026.
Questions people ask
What happened at the Kallakurichi school on 17 July 2022?
A protest over a Class 12 student's death turned violent. A crowd entered the Kaniyamoor school, burned buses, police vehicles and parts of the buildings, and clashed with police.
Was the Kallakurichi student's death murder or suicide?
The Madras High Court, relying on two autopsies and a JIPMER review, found no evidence of rape or murder, and the CB-CID chargesheet concluded suicide. Her family disputes this.
How many people were arrested for the Kallakurichi violence?
About 430 by December 2022. In February 2025 the SIT charged 916 people, including 53 juveniles.
Why was the girl's mother named in the riot case?
The SIT named her first accused in its 2025 chargesheet. The school's management had blamed her for the riot from the start; the CPI(M) called the move intimidation. The case is undecided.
Sources
- The News Minute: Protests over Kallakurichi student death: CM Stalin calls for peace, Section 144 imposed, 17 Jul 2022
- Deccan Herald (PTI): Protests over student's suicide turn violent in Kallakurichi; buses torched, 17 Jul 2022
- Tribune (PTI): Violence breaks out in Tamil Nadu over girl student's death; police open fire in air, 17 Jul 2022
- The News Minute: Kallakurichi student death case transferred to CBCID, 3 school officials arrested, 17 Jul 2022
- DT Next: Kallakurichi schoolgirl case transferred to CB-CID, 3 arrested, 17 Jul 2022
- DT Next: Kallakurichi riots: Stalin urges public to remain calm, 17 Jul 2022
- The News Minute: How WhatsApp messages and videos fanned protesters' ire, 18 Jul 2022
- The News Minute: Cops arrest two teachers accused of harassing student, 18 Jul 2022
- DT Next: Kallakurichi violence: 120 protesters produced before court, 18 Jul 2022
- Verdictum: Madras HC directs police to form SIT to act against rioters, 18 Jul 2022
- The News Minute: Kallakurichi SP, District Collector transferred after violence at school, 19 Jul 2022
- Deccan Herald: Supreme Court declines father's plea to stay second post-mortem, 19 Jul 2022
- Deccan Herald: HC directs Jipmer doctors to analyse girl's autopsy report, 22 Jul 2022
- Deccan Herald: Kallakurichi school girl laid to rest, 23 Jul 2022
- LiveLaw: Unfortunate that teachers are being arrested for asking students to study well: Madras High Court, Aug 2022
- The News Minute: HC says no evidence of rape or murder in postmortem reports, 30 Aug 2022
- DT Next: 'We fully trust the CM': Kallakurichi schoolgirl's mother, 27 Aug 2022
- DT Next: 'Meeting leaders to get justice for my daughter's death', 3 Sept 2022
- LiveLaw: Madras High Court permits school reopening for Classes 9-12 on trial basis, 1 Dec 2022
- Deccan Herald: Tamil Nadu school reopens after 140 days, 5 Dec 2022
- LiveLaw: Supreme Court issues notice on mother's plea challenging bail granted to accused, 14 Dec 2022
- Thanthi TV (Tamil): What the CB-CID chargesheet says about the cause of death, 15 May 2023
- Asianet News Tamil: Details in the CB-CID chargesheet, 15 May 2023
- DT Next: Kallakurichi student death: Villupuram court acquits 2 accused, 30 May 2023
- Daily Thanthi (Tamil): Kallakurichi student case adjourned, 19 Jul 2023
- DT Next: HC directs govt to remove lock and seal from Kallakurichi school, 20 Jun 2024
- ETV Bharat (Hindi): Chargesheet filed against 916 over Tamil Nadu riot, 8 Feb 2025
- Oneindia Tamil: Kallakurichi school riot case: chargesheet against 916 accused, 7 Feb 2025
- News7 Tamil: CPI(M) condemns chargesheet naming student's mother, 11 Feb 2025
- Oneindia Tamil: Over 500 appear in Kaniyamoor school riot case, 15 May 2025
- Dinamalar (Tamil): Kaniyamoor school riot case hearing adjourned to May, 8 Mar 2026