Students continue to protest outside Rau’s IAS Study Circle, a coaching center for civil services aspirants in Old Rajendra Nagar, where three IAS aspirants lost their lives due to flooding in the basement caused by heavy rainfall on Saturday.
DCP Central M Harshavardhan has urged the students to avoid demonstrations outside the center, as it could disrupt the ongoing rescue operations.
A protester criticized the government’s negligence, pointing out that knee-deep water accumulates during rainfall, and called for immediate action against those responsible and a clear account of the injuries and fatalities.
“The MCD calls it a disaster, but I see it as sheer negligence. Water collects knee-deep within half an hour of rain. Disasters are rare occurrences, but this has been a recurring issue. My landlord had been requesting the councillor to clean the drains for the past 10-12 days,” the protester stated.
“The first demand is accountability for those responsible. The immediate demand is to reveal the true number of injuries and deaths. Disaster management officials told me 8-10 people have died,” the protester added.
The top official reported that “the bodies have been sent to the hospital for further legal action. Rescue operations are still ongoing, and there is about seven feet of water left in the basement.”
DCP Harshavardhan appealed to the students to avoid obstructing rescue efforts, acknowledging their pain but stressing that their presence at the site is counterproductive.
Delhi Police have filed a criminal case and are dedicated to uncovering the truth behind the tragedy. “We have initiated a criminal case and are collecting forensic evidence. We are committed to a thorough investigation and will hold those responsible accountable. Two people have been detained so far,” said an official.
Other than the three deceased, 13 to 14 individuals were rescued and are reportedly in good condition.
Delhi Revenue Minister Atishi has instructed Chief Secretary Naresh Kumar to conduct an inquiry and submit a report within 24 hours. “A magisterial inquiry has been ordered to investigate the incident. Those responsible will be held accountable,” she stated on X.
Preliminary investigations suggest the basement, which housed a library, suddenly flooded while students were present. Officials used ropes to evacuate those trapped.
A police officer noted that floating furniture in the coaching center obstructed the rescue efforts.
AAP MP Swati Maliwal described the incident as “unfortunate,” highlighting the need for accountability and punishment for those responsible for negligence.
BJP MP Bansuri Swaraj criticized Delhi CM Arvind Kejriwal and MLA Durgesh Pathak for ignoring local requests to clean the drainage system, claiming they are responsible for the deaths.
