Crackdown after three students die in Delhi coaching centre flooding

The Municipal Corporation of Delhi (MCD) has begun action against illegal coaching centres and plans to establish a high-level committee to investigate the flooding of a coaching institute's basement, which resulted in the deaths of three civil services aspirants.

The corporation has terminated one officer and suspended another, in addition to launching an anti-encroachment drive in Old Rajinder Nagar, Delhi.

The police have sealed Rau's IAS Study Circle, where three students died on Saturday after the basement flooded due to rain.

A junior engineer has been terminated, and an assistant engineer suspended in connection with the deaths, MCD Commissioner Ashwani Kumar told PTI.

Officials and students said on Sunday that the lack of a drainage system, absence of safety measures, and the use of the basement for commercial activities in violation of norms led to the deaths.

Delhi Police arrested the owner and coordinator of Rau's IAS Study Circle and charged them with culpable homicide and other offences. Political parties, including the Bharatiya Janata Party and Congress, criticised the Aam Aadmi Party-led Delhi government, labelling the incident a "murder."

Shreya Yadav from Ambedkar Nagar in Uttar Pradesh, Tanya Soni from Telangana, and Navin Dalwin from Ernakulam in Kerala died after the basement flooded during heavy rain on Saturday evening. Some students alleged that people were trapped in the basement due to a malfunctioning entry-exit biometric system.

Officials stated that the coaching institute had permission to use the basement as a storeroom, but it was being used as a library in violation of the rules.

An FIR was registered at Rajinder Nagar police station under sections 105 (culpable homicide) and 290 (negligent conduct with respect to building construction) of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita. The FIR states that the owner, Abhishek Gupta, admitted that there was no drainage system in the basement, leading to the deaths.

Hundreds of civil services aspirants staged a protest in the area, blocking a road near Delhi's Karol Bagh Metro Station, which led to traffic disruptions and police intervention. A scuffle ensued between the students and police, resulting in the detention of some protesters.

MCD officials said the coaching centre had its building plan approved in 2021, with the basement designated for parking and storage, not as a library.

Officials said that storm drains in Old Rajinder Nagar were covered by encroachers and clogged with silt, causing a flood-like situation during heavy rains.

Videos on social media showed students trying to escape the flooded basement. In one video, the main entry gate of the coaching centre fell due to excessive rainwater, leading to the basement flooding.

Delhi Fire Services chief Atul Garg said the coaching institute disclosed to the fire department that the basement would be used as a storeroom, not a classroom or library, which violated the fire NOC.

Two of the three victims were students at Jawaharlal Nehru University and Delhi University. Tanya Soni, a DU student from Telangana, had joined the coaching institute one-and-a-half months ago.

Families and friends of the victims demanded action against those responsible. At the RML Hospital mortuary, they were in a state of shock.

Dharmender Yadav, uncle of Shreya Yadav, said he learned about the incident through news channels and could not reach her by phone. He eventually found her room locked.

Shreya had completed her BSc in agriculture and joined the coaching centre in May.

Many students come to Delhi from states like Bihar, Uttar Pradesh, Madhya Pradesh, and the southern regions to attend coaching institutes in Rajinder Nagar and Mukherjee Nagar. Students accused these institutes of spending large sums on advertising but neglecting basic safety.

(With inputs from PTI)