Rau’s IAS Study Circle coaching center issued a heartfelt statement on Sunday expressing deep sorrow over the death of three students in their basement, which was flooded due to heavy rain on Saturday. “We are fully committed to supporting the ongoing investigations into this tragic incident. We are deeply saddened by the loss of these promising young individuals who were preparing to serve the nation,” the statement read.
The owner and coordinator of the coaching center in Delhi’s Old Rajender Nagar were arrested and charged with culpable homicide, among other offenses. The owner, Abhishek Gupta, and the coordinator, Deshpal Singh, were both sent to 14 days of judicial custody.
Following the incident, students gathered at Old Rajinder Nagar to stage a protest, lighting candles to honor the victims. The disaster rescue teams retrieved the bodies of two females and one male from the flooded basement after seven hours. The victims were identified as Shreya Yadav from Ambedkar Nagar in Uttar Pradesh, Tanya Soni from Telangana, and Navin Dalwin from Ernakulam in Kerala.
In response to the tragedy, students protested against the Municipal Corporation of Delhi (MCD) and blocked the road outside Karol Bagh metro station, but were eventually detained by police.
The incident has ignited a political blame game between the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP), which has been in power in the MCD for a year, and the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), which ruled the civic body for 15 years. Congress MP and Leader of the Opposition in Lok Sabha Rahul Gandhi called the incident a “collective failure of the system” and expressed condolences to the families of the deceased.
BJP MP Bansuri Swaraj labeled the incident as “direct criminal negligence.” “Yesterday’s incident in Rajender Nagar is not an accident. It is a case of direct criminal negligence,” she stated. She pointed out that on July 22, the issue was brought to the attention of AAP MLA Durgesh Pathak, but no action was taken. She added that the responsibility for the incident lies with the AAP government and its various departments.
Delhi BJP President Virender Sachdeva criticized the ruling AAP for failing to ensure the cleanliness of the drainage system. “AAP only cares about the weight and sugar levels of Arvind Kejriwal,” he remarked. Sachdeva called for criminal proceedings against officers of the Delhi Jal Board, Delhi Fire Services, and the Municipal Corporation of Delhi. He also demanded the resignation of Delhi Minister Atishi, AAP MLA Durgesh Pathak, and the AAP Mayor, along with compensation of Rs 1 crore for the families of the deceased.
Coaching Center Violated Multiple Building Permissions
Sources from the Delhi Fire Services revealed that the coaching center had violated several building permissions. The basement, according to a no-objection certificate issued by the fire department, was designated for storage purposes but was being used as a library.
Deputy Commissioner of Police (Central) M Harsha Vardhan mentioned that CCTV footage was being reviewed to understand the sequence of events. According to the Delhi Fire Department, a call about waterlogging at the coaching center was received around 7 pm on Saturday, with the possibility that some individuals were trapped inside.
Basement Flooded Rapidly: Police
Police reported that the basement of the coaching center flooded rapidly, trapping several individuals inside. A fire department official stated that five tenders were dispatched to the site, and the basement was completely submerged when they arrived.
