Murdered Chennai school teacher laid to rest

 

The school teachers, students and relatives of the deceased teacher paid their last respects to her, but no official from the Tamil Nadu government was present on the ocassion.

 

According to reports, the absence of the government officials from the funeral ceremony has created a sense of disappointment among the teaching community.

 

"The great punishment to the boy is not to punish him," said L. Madhappa, father of Uma Maheswari.

 

Uma Maheswari had been teaching Hindi to class 9 and 10 students at the St. Mary's Anglo-Indian Higher Secondary School on Armenian Street in Parry's Corner. 

 

On Thursday at around 11.45 a.m. when Uma was taking Hindi class a student named Iqbal (name changed), who had brought a knife concealed in a paper, slashed the teacher's throat and stabbed her in the abdomen and chest killing her on the spot. 

 

"Another star fell from the sky. I saw Uma last at 10 a.m. She was a teacher who showed keen interest in students' progress. It is a very difficulty time and let us be supportive to her two girl children. Good bye Maheswari... good bye," said Father Bosco Periyanayagam, Principal at St. Mary's Anglo-Indian Higher Secondary, while speaking at the funeral.

 

Sister Esther Baby from Coonoor, who came to attend the funeral, spoke with chocked voice and said, "She helped me and treated me like I am her own sister. She lived her life for the God. And I lost my beloved sister," Baby said. 

 

"When I reached the spot Uma was lying on the floor in the blood pool and the boy was standing nearyby with the knife in his hand. I couldn't believe it happened. She always treated students very kindly. He must have been under heavy stress and his parents must not have been aware of their son's condition," said a teacher who didn't wish to be named.

 

Expressing her worry, another teacher said, "Students watch violent movies on You Tube and are greatly influenced by them in negative ways. We have lost a precious live. Whatever we do we cannot bring back Uma to life. Teachers alone cannot take all the responsibilities for students' behaviour and parents also have to share the responsibility equally."

 

TSI talked to some XI class students who attended the funeral. 

 

Karl, a plus one student, said, "During 10th public exams' time she used to take classes till 9.00 p.m. She was always quite and kind. She would provide us tea and coffee from her own money. Some says that the boy who killed her is insane but it is a lie to save him from punishment." 

 

Our school is one of the oldest in the state and this is first time such a tragic event took place in its history, said, Fazid, another plus one student.

 

"Such tragedy shouldn't happen again. The government should give Rs.10 lakh to Uma's family and we are also planning to donate a big amount. The government should take care of the family. Particularly the government should help her two girl children. All schools should conduct teachers-parents meetings regularly and discuss the students progress," said, K.R. Nandakumar, general secretary of Tamil Nadu Matriculation Schools Association.

 

 

"Chief Minister helps people who died in road accidents but in this case she didn't make any statement so far. This is really a worrisome attitude of the chief minister," said Sornalatha, women secretary of Tamil Nadu Higher Secondary School Teachers Association. 

 

The boy has been sent to a reform school.