‘Clogged drains’, ‘bulding rules violations’: What probe says on UPSC aspirants death in Delhi coaching class flooding

UPSC aspirants death in Delhi coaching class flooding: In the coaching centre flooding incident in central Delhi's Old Rajinder Nagar area, use of basement for commercial activities in violation of norms led to the death of 3 UPSC aspirant. 

Shreya Yadav of Ambedkar Nagar in Uttar Pradesh, Tanya Soni from Telangana, and Navin Dalwin from Ernakulam in Kerala died after the basement of a building housing the coaching institute was flooded following heavy rain on Saturday evening. Police on Sunday arrested the owner and the coordinator of the coaching centre -- Rau's IAS Study Circle -- and booked them for culpable homicide and other charges.

What police investigations reveals?

A senior official privy to the investigation said the probe so far has indicated two main reasons for the incident -- civic authorities failed to clear the roadside drain before the onset of monsoon and there was no provision for draining out water in the basement where a library was running illegally.

The Delhi Police has formed multiple teams to probe the actual cause of the incident.

A police officer said more than 35 people, including students and coaching centre staffers, were trapped on Saturday evening when water started gushing into the basement following heavy rains.

According to sources in the police department, the basement's gate was closed, but due to the high pressure of the rainwater that gushed in, it got damaged.

According to the officials, the three-storey coaching institute, surrounded by residential and commercial establishments, had permission to use the basement as a store room, but it was being used as library in violation of the rules.

Meanwhile, some students alleged that the incident took place after several people got trapped in the basement due to malfunctioning of entry-exit biometric system.

According to the officials, the three-storey coaching institute, surrounded by residential and commercial establishments, had permission to use the basement as a store room, but it was being used as library in violation of the rules.

The Delhi Police has formed multiple teams to probe the actual cause of the incident.

What MCD said?

According to Municipal Corporation of Delhi (MCD) officials, the coaching centre had its building plan approved by the civic body in 2021.

An MCD official said that in the building completion certificate of the institute, it is clearly written that the basement can only be used for parking and storage. It means that the library was running illegally in the basement, the official said.

The official further said that the storm drains built to carry away excess water after heavy rains in the Old Rajinder Nagar area were covered by encroachers.

The drains in the area were heavily clogged with silt and overflowed leading to a flood-like situation due to the rains that lashed parts of Delhi on Saturday, locals complained.

(With inputs from agencies)