Delhi Police detained the owner and coordinator of an IAS coaching center on Sunday after a tragic incident where three students lost their lives due to the basement flooding of the institute. The basement became filled with water, leading to the unfortunate deaths, as confirmed by a senior police officer.
Deputy Commissioner of Police (DCP) Central, M Harshavardhan, stated that a case has been registered against the coaching institute, the building management, and those responsible for maintaining the drainage system at the location. “The case is filed under sections 105, 106(1), 115(2), 290, and 35 of the BNS. This includes the coaching institute and the building management, as well as those responsible for the drainage maintenance. So far, we have detained the owner and the coordinator of the coaching center, and further investigation is underway,” DCP Harshavardhan told ANI.
The victims of this heartbreaking incident at Delhi’s Old Rajender Nagar coaching center have been identified as Shreya Yadav from Ambedkar Nagar in Uttar Pradesh, Tanya Soni from Telangana, and Nivin Dalwin from Ernakulam, Kerala.
Rescue operations involved the Delhi Police, Delhi Fire Service, and the NDRF. Sadly, by the end of the search and rescue mission, three bodies were recovered from the basement. The families of the victims have been notified, and the bodies have been sent to Ram Manohar Lohia Hospital (RML) for autopsy.
Earlier, Additional Deputy Commissioner of Police Sachin Sharma addressed the protesting students, assuring them that a thorough investigation would be conducted and necessary actions would be taken. “Three lives have been lost. We assure you that we will do everything legally possible. The investigation is ongoing,” he said.
Students protested against the Municipal Corporation of Delhi (MCD) and the management of the IAS coaching institute, demanding accountability for the deaths.
Meanwhile, former Delhi Commission for Women (DCW) Chief Swati Maliwal raised concerns about corruption enabling the operation of illegal basements in the city. “Who will take responsibility for the deaths of these three students? They had been requesting drain cleaning for ten days, but no action was taken. How can illegal basements operate without corruption? How can additional floors and road encroachments occur without bribes? It’s clear that safety rules are ignored for money,” Maliwal posted on X.
Her comments highlighted the broader issue of negligence and corruption within the city’s infrastructure management. This incident follows closely on the heels of another tragedy where a UPSC aspirant was electrocuted on a waterlogged street in Delhi.
(Source: ANI)
Also Read: Delhi tragedy: 3 Students Dead After Flood at Delhi’s IAS Coaching Centre Basement