Reporter Desk, New Delhi: In a tragic incident at the Rao IAS Study Circle coaching center in Old Rajendra Nagar, Delhi, three students drowned in the basement late Saturday night due to waterlogging. The victims were two female students and one male student. On Sunday, police arrested the institution’s owner and CEO, Abhishek Gupta, along with coordinator Deshpal Singh. Charges have been filed against them for culpable homicide and other offenses. Cases have also been registered against the building management, municipal corporation employees, and others responsible for maintaining the drainage system. The coaching center has been sealed.
LG Demands Report
Lieutenant Governor VK Saxena expressed grief over the incident and directed the divisional commissioner to submit a detailed report by Tuesday. He stated that such issues cannot be ignored and emphasized the need to investigate the role of coaching institutions and property owners in ensuring students’ basic safety.
Delhi Government Orders Investigation
Delhi Minister Atishi ordered a magisterial inquiry into the incident. One of the victims, Tanya, was identified on Saturday. She hailed from Aurangabad, Bihar, and her father is an engineer in Telangana. The other two students were identified on Sunday as Shreya Yadav from Ambedkar Nagar, Uttar Pradesh, and Nevin Dalwin from Ernakulam, Kerala. All three were residing in separate PG accommodations in Rajendra Nagar. The bodies of the two female students were handed over to their families post-mortem, while Nevin’s family has yet to arrive in Delhi.
35 Students in Basement During Incident
The incident occurred during heavy rain on Saturday evening, which led to nearly five feet of water on the streets. Around 35 students were in the basement at the time. The basement flooded within minutes when the glass door at the stairwell shattered due to the pressure of water from vehicles making U-turns. A short circuit caused a power outage, and in the ensuing chaos, two female students and one male student were trapped and drowned.
Delayed Response
The coaching center management initially tried to manage the situation themselves before informing the police and fire department when conditions worsened. Both Abhishek Gupta and Deshpal Singh were called to the scene on Saturday night and were detained. They were formally arrested on Sunday.
Protests and Arrests
Angry students gathered in large numbers outside the Rao IAS Study Circle in Old Rajendra Nagar on Sunday, protesting against the government, police, and municipal corporation. The situation required the deployment of paramilitary forces and a significant police presence. Senior police officials were also present to manage the situation.
Unauthorized Use of Basement
The Rao IAS Study Circle operates in a rented building constructed in 2021, owned by four individuals: Sarbjit, Tejinder, Harvinder, and Parminder. The building had permission from the fire department and municipal corporation to use the basement solely as a storage area, but a library was being operated instead. The police are investigating the negligence of the building owners in this regard.
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