New Delhi, India – A tragic incident at a coaching center in Old Rajinder Nagar, which claimed the lives of three young students aspiring to become Indian Administrative Service (IAS) officers, has cast a spotlight on several glaring safety lapses by both the center’s management and civic bodies. The flooding disaster, triggered by intense rainfall, has initiated a rigorous investigation by local authorities.
Following the catastrophe, Delhi Police have taken stringent actions by registering an FIR against the owner and coordinator of Rau’s IAS Study Circle, charging them with culpable homicide among other offenses. The accused, identified as Abhishek Gupta and Deshpal Singh, have been arrested and subsequently placed in judicial custody for 14 days.
On the fateful day, over 35 individuals, including students and staff members, found themselves trapped in the building’s basement, originally designated as a storeroom but illicitly converted into a library. Panic ensued as water poured in, exerting high pressure on the basement’s gate and ultimately leading to extensive damage.
Authorities are currently scrutinizing CCTV footage to piece together the sequence of events and ascertain accountability. This examination has already facilitated the gathering of statements from several students who narrowly escaped the inundated basement, some even rescued by fellow students and local residents.
Initial findings from the police’s ongoing probe fault both the unauthorized use of the basement as a library and the civic authority’s failure to adequately maintain the nearby drainage systems in anticipation of the monsoon season. This lack of foresight contributed significantly to the severity of the flooding.
Further complicating the rescue efforts was a malfunctioning biometric system at the library’s entrance, which reportedly failed as floodwaters surged, leaving students helplessly locked inside. The situation prompted an urgent response, which saw the deployment of the National Disaster Response Force and local fire services to the scene.
During the aftermath, officials have also scrutinized the area’s infrastructure. Delhi’s Deputy Commissioner of Police, M Harsha Vardhan, underscored the investigative measures being undertaken and the serious nature of the legal charges levied against the coaching center’s administration. The FIR cited the absence of a proper drainage system in the basement, alongside the owner’s failure to produce necessary permits for operating a library in the subterranean space.
The emergency call to police highlighted the dire conditions, with responders discovering the parking area submerged under three feet of water. Despite the challenging circumstances, recovery teams worked diligently for over five hours to alleviate the flooding and conduct rescue operations.
Tragically, the bodies of two female students, Shreya Yadav from Ghaziabad and Tanya Soni from Telangana, alongside male student Nevin Delvin from Ernakulam, were recovered during these efforts. Social media channels circulated distressing footage from the scene, showing torrents of water engulfing the basement as several students struggled to escape through stairways.
As investigations continue to unfold, local authorities have pledged to adopt stringent measures to prevent such incidents in the future and ensure that all educational establishments comply with safety norms to protect students and faculty alike.