Tragic Flooding Claims Lives at Delhi Coaching Center

In a heartbreaking incident, three civil service aspirants lost their lives after rainwater flooded a coaching center in Delhi‘s Old Rajinder Nagar. The victims reportedly drowned in the basement of Rau’s IAS Study Circle during the heavy downpour.

Durgesh Pathak, an Aam Aadmi Party MLA, spoke out, claiming that Rau’s IAS Study Circle did not have the proper permissions to operate as a coaching center and library in the basement. He emphasized that the building was only allowed for storage and parking, raising serious concerns about safety regulations in other similar establishments.

Efforts to rescue the trapped students took nearly seven hours before the National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) ultimately recovered their bodies. The police have launched an investigation into how the basement became inundated so quickly, with Deputy Commissioner of Police M Harsha Vardhan stating they are reviewing CCTV footage to piece together the events.

The incident has sparked political blame, with the Bharatiya Janata Party accusing the Aam Aadmi Party of negligence. New Delhi MP Bansuri Swaraj voiced her outrage, saying that local officials, including Pathak, disregarded calls from residents about maintaining the drains.

Swaraj labeled this incident as a result of the ‘criminal negligence’ of the Delhi government and called for the resignation of those responsible, including Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal.

In response, MCD Mayor Shelly Oberoi has ordered a crackdown on coaching centers flouting building regulations and called for a thorough investigation into the incident. She insisted that MCD officers found culpable should face strict consequences.

The Delhi Revenue Minister, Atishi, also took immediate action by instructing Chief Secretary Naresh Kumar to conduct a magisterial inquiry into the tragic flooding and deliver a report within 24 hours.