2000 Dharmapuri bus burning
Encyclopedia
The Dharmapuri bus burning incident occurred on February 2 2000 at Llakiyampatti, on the outskirts of Dharmapuri
in Tamil Nadu
, India
. Three students from the Tamil Nadu Agricultural University
, Coimbatore
were burned to death.
party (DMK) came into power in Tamil Nadu in 1996, it filed a series of corruption cases against the former Chief Minister and All India Anna Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam
(AIADMK) general secretary J. Jayalalithaa
, other ministers, and bureaucrats of her government. In the "Kodaikanal
Pleasant Stay Hotel case", a Special Court judgment given by Justice V. Radhakrishnan convicted Jayalalithaa and sentenced her to one year of "rigorous imprisonment". This led to state wide protests and violence, including damage to public property by AIADMK members.
, V. Gayathri from Virudhachalam
and Kokilavani from Namakkal were burned to death, and 16 others were injured. The scenes of the bus burning were captured and broadcast the following day on Sun TV
.
ordered a CB-CID investigation. Jayalalithaa demanded a CBI
probe for a fair trial. During the initial trial held at Krishnagiri
court, 20 witnesses became hostile, and the Madras High Court
halted the trial, ordering a re-trial at Salem court. After a series of delays in appointing a special public prosecutor and problems with missing case bundles, the trial progressed slowly. Seven years after the incident, on 15 February 2007, the Salem court sentenced 3 men to death and 25 others to seven years imprisonment. Two others were acquitted, and one person died during the course of the investigation.The judgment was upheld by Madras High Court on December 6, 2007 and subsequently by the Supreme Court on August 30, 2010.
film Kalloori
was released in December 2007, just days before the Madras High court upheld the judgment of Salem court. The movie is about college life, and climaxed with a bus burning incident. Following public and media demands, the ending was changed.
Dharmapuri
Dharmapuri is a town and the administrative headquarters of Dharmapuri district in the state of Tamil Nadu, India. It is located 65 km north of Salem. Dharmapuri is a part of the Kongu Nadu an ancient division of Tamilakam. It is one of the ancient towns of Tamil Nadu and a rapid developing...
in Tamil Nadu
Tamil Nadu
Tamil Nadu is one of the 28 states of India. Its capital and largest city is Chennai. Tamil Nadu lies in the southernmost part of the Indian Peninsula and is bordered by the union territory of Pondicherry, and the states of Kerala, Karnataka, and Andhra Pradesh...
, India
India
India , officially the Republic of India , is a country in South Asia. It is the seventh-largest country by geographical area, the second-most populous country with over 1.2 billion people, and the most populous democracy in the world...
. Three students from the Tamil Nadu Agricultural University
Tamil Nadu Agricultural University
Tamil Nadu Agricultural University came into being on June 1, 1971. However, it had its genesis from establishment of an agricultural school at Saidapet, Chennai, Tamil Nadu, in 1868 and was later relocated at Marudamalai Road in Coimbatore....
, Coimbatore
Coimbatore
Coimbatore , also known as Kovai , is the second largest city in the Indian state of Tamil Nadu. It is a major commercial centre in Tamil Nadu and is known as the "Manchester of South India"....
were burned to death.
Background
Soon after the Dravida Munnetra KazhagamDravida Munnetra Kazhagam
Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam is a state political party in the states of Tamil Nadu and Pondicherry, India. It is a Dravidian party founded by C. N. Annadurai as a breakaway faction from the Dravidar Kazhagam headed by Periyar...
party (DMK) came into power in Tamil Nadu in 1996, it filed a series of corruption cases against the former Chief Minister and All India Anna Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam
All India Anna Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam
All India Anna Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam is a state political party in the states of Tamil Nadu and Pondicherry, India. The party was founded by M. G. Ramachandran and is now headed by J. Jayalalithaa. The party headquarters is in Royapettah, Chennai, and was gifted to the party in 1986 by its...
(AIADMK) general secretary J. Jayalalithaa
J. Jayalalithaa
Jayalalithaa Jayaram ; born 24 February 1948) commonly referred to as J. Jayalalitha, is the Chief Minister of the state of Tamil Nadu, India. She is the incumbent general secretary of All India Anna Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam , a Dravidian party. She is called Amma and Puratchi Thalaivi by her...
, other ministers, and bureaucrats of her government. In the "Kodaikanal
Kodaikanal
-Climate:Kodaikanal has a monsoon-influenced subtropical highland climate . The temperatures are cool throughout the year due to the high elevation of the city.-Economy:...
Pleasant Stay Hotel case", a Special Court judgment given by Justice V. Radhakrishnan convicted Jayalalithaa and sentenced her to one year of "rigorous imprisonment". This led to state wide protests and violence, including damage to public property by AIADMK members.
Incident
Seventy students from the Tamil Nadu Agricultural University, Coimbatore, were returning from a study tour on two buses. They were stopped by AIADMK men, who forced the students to alight. One of the men threw a petrol bomb, setting fire to a bus before all of the students had got out. Three girls, Hemalatha from ChennaiChennai
Chennai , formerly known as Madras or Madarasapatinam , is the capital city of the Indian state of Tamil Nadu, located on the Coromandel Coast off the Bay of Bengal. Chennai is the fourth most populous metropolitan area and the sixth most populous city in India...
, V. Gayathri from Virudhachalam
Virudhachalam
Virudhachalam is a municipality and taluk headquarters in Cuddalore district in the Indian state of Tamil Nadu.-Etymology:...
and Kokilavani from Namakkal were burned to death, and 16 others were injured. The scenes of the bus burning were captured and broadcast the following day on Sun TV
Sun TV (India)
Sun TV is a regional Indian cable television station. It is the flagship channel of the Chennai-based Sun Network. It was founded and currently owned by Kalanidhi Maran. It was the first fully privately owned television channel in India when it emerged in 1992...
.
Aftermath
The incident caused anger amongst the student community. Schools and colleges were asked to shut for a week, and students across the state held silent processions and protest marches condemning the act. Chief Minister M. KarunanidhiM. Karunanidhi
Muthuvel Karunanidhi is an Indian politician and a former Chief Minister of Tamil Nadu. He is the head of Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam , a Dravidian political party in the state of Tamil Nadu. He has been the leader of the DMK since the death of its founder, C. N...
ordered a CB-CID investigation. Jayalalithaa demanded a CBI
Central Bureau of Investigation
The Central Bureau of Investigation is a government agency of India that serves as a criminal investigation body, national security agency and intelligence agency. It was established on 1 April 1963 and evolved from the Special Police Establishment founded in 1941...
probe for a fair trial. During the initial trial held at Krishnagiri
Krishnagiri
-Tourism:Thousands of visitors visit Krishnagiri each year. Majority come from Hosur/Bangalore and Chennai. KRP dam constructed in 1960's during the rule of the then Chief Minister Kamaraj located near the town, is a nice picnic spot. Nearby, Sayed Basha hills has a fort that was the fortress of...
court, 20 witnesses became hostile, and the Madras High Court
Madras High Court
The Madras High Court is a senior court located at Chennai , in India. The court buildings, which are believed to be the second largest judicial complex in the world, are located near the beach, in one of the city's major business districts....
halted the trial, ordering a re-trial at Salem court. After a series of delays in appointing a special public prosecutor and problems with missing case bundles, the trial progressed slowly. Seven years after the incident, on 15 February 2007, the Salem court sentenced 3 men to death and 25 others to seven years imprisonment. Two others were acquitted, and one person died during the course of the investigation.The judgment was upheld by Madras High Court on December 6, 2007 and subsequently by the Supreme Court on August 30, 2010.
In popular culture
The Tamil languageTamil language
Tamil is a Dravidian language spoken predominantly by Tamil people of the Indian subcontinent. It has official status in the Indian state of Tamil Nadu and in the Indian union territory of Pondicherry. Tamil is also an official language of Sri Lanka and Singapore...
film Kalloori
Kalloori
Kalloori is a Tamil language film by director Balaji Shakthivel. The movie was produced by Shankar's banner S Pictures and the story of the film is drama based on the college campus featuring Tamanna Bhatia and debutant, Akil...
was released in December 2007, just days before the Madras High court upheld the judgment of Salem court. The movie is about college life, and climaxed with a bus burning incident. Following public and media demands, the ending was changed.