Delhi IAS Coaching Centre Flood: Three Students Who Died Were from Kerala, Telangana, and UP
New Delhi: Three civil service aspirants who tragically lost their lives when the basement of Rau's IAS Study Circle in Old Rajinder Nagar, Delhi, flooded following heavy rains on Saturday hailed from Kerala, Telangana, and Uttar Pradesh. All the bodies have been sent to RML mortuary, according to Delhi Police.
"Three students who lost their lives after the basement of the institute was filled with water yesterday were residents of Kerala, Telangana and UP. All bodies have been sent to RML mortuary," Delhi Police said.
Shreya Yadav of Ambedkar Nagar in Uttar Pradesh, Tanya Soni from Telangana and Navin Dalwin from Ernakulam in Kerala were identified to have died in the incident, police said.
The Delhi Fire Department reported that they received an emergency call about a flooded basement around 7 PM, with the caller indicating that people might be trapped inside. Upon arrival, fire department personnel found the basement already inundated with water.
Investigation and Rescue Operations
Deputy Commissioner of Police (Central Delhi) M Harshavardhan informed reporters that they were investigating the cause of the rapid flooding, which led to several individuals being trapped. A search operation was conducted by Delhi Police, fire officials, and the National Disaster Response Force (NDRF). Initially reported missing, the three students, one male and two females, were later found deceased. Efforts to pump water out of the basement were ongoing.
Preliminary investigations revealed that the basement housed a library where many students were present during the incident. Harshavardhan confirmed that a criminal case had been registered and two individuals were detained in connection with the incident. Forensic teams were on site collecting evidence to ensure a thorough investigation.
Rescue Challenges and Student Protests
Rescue operations faced significant challenges due to floating furniture in the flooded basement, necessitating the use of ropes to evacuate the trapped students. In the aftermath, students staged protests against the authorities, blaming them for the deaths of the aspirants. These demonstrations continued into early Sunday.
Government Response and Accountability
Revenue Minister Atishi instructed Chief Secretary Naresh Kumar to conduct a magisterial inquiry and provide a report within 24 hours. "A magisterial inquiry has been ordered to determine the cause of this incident. Those responsible will be held accountable," Atishi posted on X.
Political Reactions and Blame
Delhi BJP chief Virendra Sachdeva and New Delhi MP Bansuri Swaraj visited the site, attributing the tragedy to the AAP administration's negligence. They criticized the local MLA for ignoring repeated requests from residents to clean the drains.
"Delhi Government's criminal negligence is responsible for this mishap. Jal Board Minister Atishi and local MLA Durgesh Pathak should take responsibility and resign," Sachdeva asserted.
This tragic incident has highlighted the urgent need for better infrastructure and prompt governmental response to prevent such occurrences in the future.
