On Monday, the Delhi Fire Services began the process of canceling the no-objection certificate (NOC) granted to Rau’s IAS Study Circle after three students drowned in its flooded basement, which was being used illegally as a library. The NOC was initially for storage purposes only.
Lieutenant Governor Visits Protest Site
Lieutenant Governor (L-G) VK Saxena visited the protest site in Old Rajender Nagar, where students demanded justice and compensation for the deceased families. During his visit, L-G Saxena promised the protesters that those responsible would be punished and urged them to give him time to take action.
#WATCH | Delhi LG VK Saxena reaches the IAS coaching institute in Old Rajinder Nagar, where 3 UPSC aspirants died due to drowning on 27th July. Protesting students meet him and voice their concerns. pic.twitter.com/i5JMAnWL5E
— ANI (@ANI) July 29, 2024
AAP Minister Saurabh Bharadwaj accused several IAS officers, including Chief Secretary Naresh Kumar, of not attending a crucial meeting on desilting and waterlogging. He alleged that the officers’ absence reflected their lack of seriousness about preventing such incidents.
Education Minister Addresses Guidelines
Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan informed Lok Sabha that guidelines for regulating coaching centers were issued in January. However, he did not directly respond to questions about the recent deaths, emphasizing the need to ensure accountability to prevent future incidents.
BJP councillors protested in the Municipal Corporation of Delhi (MCD) House, demanding strict action against those responsible for the coaching center deaths. The session was adjourned due to the chaos caused by their protests.
Security was increased in Old Rajender Nagar, with paramilitary forces deployed to maintain order. Despite initial ID checks, protesters were eventually allowed to continue their demonstration peacefully. The area had previously witnessed massive protests, blocking key roads.
Amid the blame game, sources from the L-G’s office stated that all agencies responsible for desilting and drainage are under the AAP government. They added that the L-G had repeatedly written to the Chief Minister about these issues, highlighting the negligence.
#WATCH | Delhi | BJP councillors standing on tables and holding placards in MCD House protest against the death of 3 UPSC aspirants in Delhi's Old Rajinder Nagar
The House was adjourned following a protest by BJP councillors. pic.twitter.com/p1ZL9EbBCh
— ANI (@ANI) July 29, 2024
In response to the tragedy, a junior engineer was terminated and an assistant engineer was suspended. The MCD also began actions against alleged encroachments in the area, with earth movers deployed to the site.
BJP Demands Resignation of AAP Government
Delhi BJP Chief Virendra Sachdeva termed the deaths as “murder” and demanded the resignation of the AAP government. BJP leaders and workers protested near the AAP office, blaming corruption for the tragic incident.
Rajya Sabha Chairperson Jagdeep Dhankhar allowed a short-duration discussion on the coaching center deaths, highlighting the commercialization of coaching and the need to address negligence by authorities.
Delhi Mayor Shelly Oberoi called an emergency meeting to discuss the incident. Key officials, including the MCD commissioner and Jal Board CEO, were summoned to address the crisis.
Members of Parliament from various parties demanded an inquiry into the deaths, with BJP MPs blaming the AAP government for negligence. Congress MP Shashi Tharoor called for compensation and a comprehensive investigation.
#WATCH | Earth movers put into action to remove encroachment over drains in Delhi's Old Rajinder Nagar after the incident of death of 3 UPSC aspirants due to drowning in an IAS coaching institute pic.twitter.com/NR6sjw5a7b
— ANI (@ANI) July 29, 2024
Delhi Police is investigating the MCD’s role in desilting drains and issuing clearance certificates. Several coaching centers, including Rau’s IAS Study Circle, have been sealed for operating illegally.
The bodies of the three students, including Nevin Delvin, were handed over to their families. Delvin’s body was taken to his native place in Kerala for the funeral.
Congress MPs Shashi Tharoor and Jebi Mather met the victims’ families at RML Hospital, calling for accountability and measures to prevent such incidents in the future.
Delhi Police arrested five more individuals, including the owners of the basement and a driver whose actions contributed to the flooding. This brings the total number of arrests to seven, including the coaching center’s owner and coordinator.
Victim’s Family Seeks Preventive Measures
The uncle of victim Nevin Delvin urged authorities to ensure that such incidents do not happen again, emphasizing the need for preventive measures rather than assigning blame.
The National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) retrieved the bodies of the three students after an intense seven-hour rescue operation. The tragic incident has sparked widespread calls for justice and accountability.
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