Delhi Coaching Centre Deaths: Central Govt Launches Probe Into Case; 5 Accused Sent To Judicial Custody | Highlights

Thank you for joining us for our coverage of the deaths of three civil services aspirants in Delhi's Old Rajinder Nagar. As we close this live blog, here is a look at some of the top developments in the case -

• Central Government forms panel to probe into the deaths of the three students at the IAS coaching centre.

• The five accused - four co-ownders and a driver have been sent to judicial custody till August 12 by Delhi's Tis Hazari court on Monday.

• Delhi LG Saxena has announced compensation of Rs 10 lakh for the kin of the three IAS aspirants who were drowned in the flooded basement of a coaching centre in Old Rajinder Nagar.

• 13 'illegal basement' coaching centres were sealed shut by MCD officials on Monday as part of the investigation into the case.

• Delhi Fire Service Officials have initiated the process of cancelling the NOC of Rau's IAS Study Circle building in Old Rajinder Nagar.

The Municipal Corporation of Delhi has started action against illegal coaching centres and will set up a high-level committee to probe the flooding of the basement of a coaching institute which led to three civil services aspirants' deaths, an official said on Sunday.

A team of the civic body reached the Old Rajinder Nagar area to seal several illegally-run basements of coaching centres, a statement by the Delhi government said.

Around 13 such coaching centres were sealed during the action till late Sunday night.

These included IAS Gurukul, Chahal Academy, Plutus Academy, Sai Trading, IAS Setu, Topper's Academy, Dainik Samvad, Civils Daily IAS, Career Power, 99 Notes, Vidya Guru, Guidance IAS, and Easy for IAS.

A Delhi court on Sunday sent to 14-day judicial custody the owner and coordinator of Rau's IAS Study Circle in Old Rajinder Nagar where three civil services aspirants died after flooding in its basement.

The coaching centre owner Abhishek Gupta and coordinator Deshpal Singh were produced before a magisterial court, which remanded the duo in 14 days judicial custody.

The owner and coordinator of Rau's IAS Study Circle where 3 students died due to flooding in basement have been charged with culpable homicide.

Police have registered an FIR under the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS) sections 105 (culpable homicide), 106(1) (death of any person by doing any rash or negligent act not amounting to culpable homicide), 115(2) (punishment for voluntarily causing hurt)and 290 (negligent conduct with respect to pulling down, repairing or constructing buildings).

There has been no official word from police but 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 FIR, Gupta accepted that there was no drainage system in the basement, which resulted in the death of three people.

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.

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.

Delhi Fire Services official told media that they had given NOC for storage and parking for the basement in Rau's IAS Study Circle.

Hundreds of civil services aspirants staged a protest in the area.

Raising slogans "we want justice", the protesters blocked the road next to the Karol Bagh Metro Station, causing traffic snarls and prompting police intervention.

A scuffle erupted between the students and police, after which a few protesters were detained and taken away in a bus. Following this, demonstrators dispersed from the area and the traffic movement was resumed there.

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.

The coaching centre at whose establishment three students died due to rain-induced flooding in the basement on Sunday condoled the loss of young lives and said they are fully committed to supporting the ongoing investigation.

"In light of the recent tragic event involving the students of Rajendra Nagar Rau's IAS Study Circle, Rau's IAS Study Circle extends its heartfelt condolences to the families and loved ones of the deceased students, Tanya Soni, Nevin Dalvin, and Shreya Yadav. Our thoughts are profoundly with the families during this incredibly difficult time," read the statement.

In the statement, the institute said they "are deeply saddened by the loss of these promising young individuals who were preparing to serve our nation with dedication and commitment".

"RAU's IAS Study Circle is fully committed to supporting the ongoing investigations into this tragic incident. We are cooperating fully with the relevant authorities and agencies to ensure that all necessary information is provided and that the investigation proceeds with the utmost diligence," read the statement.

The National Commission for Women (NCW) has summoned AAP MLA from Delhi's Rajinder Nagar Durgesh Pathak over the incident where three students, including two women, lost their lives due to flooding in the basement of a coaching centre in the area.

The NCW, in a post, said it has taken cognizance of the coaching centre incident where three students died in the Old Rajinder Nagar area of the national capital.

"Allegations of ignored appeals for drain cleaning are concerning. A hearing is scheduled on 02.08.2024 at 12:30 pm. Notice has been given and Durgesh Pathak, MLA Rajinder Nagar, has been directed to appear in person. Non-compliance will result in appropriate action," it said.

One such clip shows the road in front of the coaching centre flooded with rainwater and some students across the road are huddled together at a vantage point. There is chaotic scene outside the building, with bikes and food carts seen submerged in the floodwater on the road.

At that moment, a four-wheeler is seen moving fast on the flooded road. The gates of the coaching centre break due to the ripple effect and the flood water gushes in the basement. The students standing across the road scream in desperation at the potential havoc.

The water rushes in and quickly fills the basement, leaving little time for those inside to react.

Students continue their protest in Old Rajinder Nagar on Monday against the death of 3 students after the basement of their coaching institute in Delhi that was flooded with rainwater on Saturday evening.

One of the protesting student Salman expressed his disappointment with the administration as he spoke to the media.

Salman said, "The system is responsible. Political leaders, MCD are responsible. There should be an action. There should be an FIR. There is no CCTV cameras, no proper wiring, drainage. They are compromising with the lives of students. There was a fire incident in Mukherjee Nagar. How long this will continue? These are our demands, unless the demands are met and FIR is made public, we will continue to protest. There are congested spaces with no proper exits. Our studies are getting affected."

Revolutionary Socialist Party MP NK Premchandran said, "I think there are two issues - the first is that the government and the concerned authorities have the absolute responsibility, particularly the civil authority. The second is that these coaching centres without having proper facilities are taking admissions of students as this coaching system has become a very lucrative business...I think sufficient compensation should be given to the family of the deceased by the govt, not less than Rs 1 crore, as the prosperous future of a family has gone..."

Security has been beefed up in the Old Rajinder Nagar area amid a protest by civil service aspirants over the death of three students due to flooding in their institute's basement following heavy rains, officials said on Monday.

The protesting aspirants have gathered outside Rau's IAS Study Circle demanding justice for the students who lost their lives on Saturday.

"We have deployed paramilitary forces and police in the area to maintain law and order," a senior police officer said.

A protesting student named Sahil spoke to ANI where he mentioned that the MCD officials and high rank police officers have met them and sought details of the incident while promising ex-gratia to kin of deceased but so far no proper action have been witnessed by them.

Sahil said, "We have been sitting here for the last two days but none of the MCD officials came to meet us... We submitted our demands to the DCP, yesterday - seeking information about those who are deceased, those who are admitted to hospitals, copies of FIR, the action that is to be taken and compensation of Rs 1 crore to the family of the deceased and Rs 50 lakhs to those injured...but none of it has been addressed..."

Most reports have not mentioned about students being admitted to hospital for their injuries during the flooding incident.

Kishor Singh Kushwah, a civil service aspirant, has reportedly raised concerns about Rau's IAS Study Circle a month before the tragedy took place. He said he informed the Centre, state government, and the Municipal Corporation of Delhi that the study center is using its basement as a library, which he mentioned was putting the safety of students and staff at risk.

Kushwah’s complaint, addressed to Kumar Mahendra, the executive engineer of the building department in Karol Bagh, claims that Rau's IAS is holding classes in the basement without the required No-Objection Certificate from the authorities."This is endangering the lives of students and staff and may lead to a big accident," it added.

The complainant sent two reminders, urging authorities to take action. On July 15, he wrote: "Sir, it's very important and urgent issue, take strict action on it." In another reminder dated July 22, Mr Kushwah wrote: "Sir, please take action, it's (an) issue of student safety."

Samajwadi Party spokesperson Ameeque Jamei said called the incident 'unfortunate'. He said that the students, their 'dreams, their family, their hope, their house…everything has broken'.

Addressing the issue he elaborated, "It’s just one example. There is an industry of coaching in Delhi. There are fewer teachers in universities compared to coaching centres. The question is why the government can’t open its coaching centres in degree colleges or Universities. There are fewer teachers in universities compared to coaching centres? Why privatisation of education is being done?"

Congress leader Manickam Tagore has given an adjournment motion notice in Parliament demanding a discussion over this issue today and said, "It’s very painful to hear such kind of news. This has happened without any kind of mistake of those students. We should stop doing politics into it but bring some accountability."

Delhi Police have arrested five more people in connection with the deaths of three students owing to a waterlogged and flooded basement at a coaching centre in Old Rajinder Nagar, officials said on Monday.

With this, the total number of people arrested in the case stands at seven. Arrested persons include the owners of the building.

"The arrested persons include the owners of the basement and an individual who drove a vehicle that appears to have damaged the gate of the building," the DCP added.

Two of the victims of the tragic Delhi coaching centre flooding incident were studying in Jawaharlal Nehru University (JNU) and Delhi University (DU) while the third deceased had done Bachelor of Science (BSc) in agriculture from a college in Uttar Pradesh.

The bodies students were retrieved from the site during the rescue operation, which was also conducted by the NDRF, police and fire department. READ FULL REPORT

Deputy Commissioner of Police (Central) M Harsha Vardhan said on Monday that each floor of the building is owned by a different person. The police said the car waded through the rainwater due to which the water flow increased and the door of the basement got knocked down.

"Five more persons have been arrested in connection with the flooding case in Rajinder Nagar. This includes the owner of the basement and an individual who drove a vehicle which appears to have damaged the gate of the building (leading to water gushing in the basement)," news agency PTI quoted Deputy Commissioner of Police (Central) M Harsha Vardhan as saying.

A report in HT revealed the fee structure Rau's IAS Study Circle offered to students -

The general studies (Prelims and Mains) integrated foundation costs ₹1,75,500 (offline) and ₹95,500 (live-online).

The optional subjects course of six months costs ₹55,500 (offline) and 45,500 (live-online).

The Civil Services Aptitude Test (CSAT) coaching course of three months costs ₹18,500 (offline) and 12,500 (live-online).

According to reports, one of the victims had taken loan to pay the coaching centre fees.

The heavy rain flooded the streets of Old Rajinder Nagar on Saturday and as per the video captured from that day, a car could be seen speeding right in front of Rau's IAS Study Circle which broke the gates of the coaching centre.

As soon as the gates broke down, the rainwater gushed right inside the building and reached the basement trapping several students. While 30 of the trapped students in the basement library could escape, three succumbed and drowned to death.

The driver of the car has been arrested by the Delhi Police on Monday along with the coaching centre owners and basement owners.

The Municipal Corporation of Delhi commissioner Ashwani Kumar informed that the junior engineer terminated, assistant engineer have been suspended for lapses.

The action has been taken against the officials of the maintenance department for the Karol Bagh Zone.

The termination and suspension orders will be released soon, reportedly.

The body of Nevin Delvin, who was among the three civil services aspirants who were killed after the basement of a coaching centre here was flooded following heavy rain, was handed over to his family on Monday after post-mortem.

The bodies of the other two students were handed over to their families on Sunday.

Devlin's body was handed over to his maternal uncle Linu Raj at RML hospital and then taken for embalming.

Delhi BJP chief Virendraa Sachdeva joined party leaders and workers' protest against AAP Government in Delhi, over the Old Rajinder Nagar incident where 3 students died after the basement of a coaching institute was filled with water on July 27.

Delhi Police use water cannon to disperse the BJP workers and leaders who are protesting against AAP Government in Delhi, near AAP office, over the Old Rajinder Nagar incident where 3 students died after the basement of a coaching institute was filled with water on July 27.

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

BJP MP Bansuri Swaraj addressing the death of three IAS aspirants in Delhi coaching centre said, "...Those students were in Delhi for the preparation of IAS examinations, but sadly I have to say that due to criminal negligence of Delhi govt, those students have lost their lives. The cause of death of these three students is the utter and absolute apathy of the Aam Aadmi Party ruling dispensation in Delhi... For a decade, AAP has been enjoying power in Delhi, but not doing work for the people of Delhi. MCD has been under AAP for the last 2 years and Delhi Jal Board is also under them. The residents of Old Rajinder Nagar were continuously complaining to the local MLA, Councillor and officers - the MLA kept doing satire but didn't take any action. I request the Home Ministry to form a committee to investigate the matter..."

Congress MP Shashi Tharoor ddressing the death of three IAS aspirants in Delhi coaching centre said, "It's a shocking situation and I have to say that when you have a brilliant student all the dreams of serving the nation through the UPSC exam have been shattered and the hopes of the family have been shattered. This is a matter which obviously calls for compensation but no compensation can be enough for the tragic loss of life of a young man cut short in his prime. There are a number of serious issues that need to be addressed - there is sadly a level of violations of basic norms when it comes to building codes, fire safety, flood safety and so on, that is rampant in the city. The corporation also has responsibility. I have seen in the hands of a journalist a certificate of clearance issued on 9 July. The corporation allows these people to do what they're doing, saying they're in compliance..."

"It's a painful incident. It's the responsibility of the officers to plan and provide NOCs, the question is who all are responsible and what actions are being taken against them. It's not just a single case of illegal building, we are seeing it in UP that illegal buildings are being bulldozed, will this govt will run a bulldozer here or not?" said Samajwadi Party MP Akhilesh Yadav, in Lok Sabha.

Delhi LG V K Saxena on Monday visited the coaching hub of Old Rajinder Nagar and interacted with students protesting over the death of three civil services aspirants after their institute's basement got flooded with rainwater.

Officials said the protesting students explained their grievances to Saxena who assured them that action will be taken in the matter.

Delhi Mayor Shelly Oberoi will hold an emergency meeting of civic officials over the deaths of three IAS aspirants after the basement of their coaching centre got flooded following heavy rain, officials said on Monday.

The meeting will be held at 3 pm at the Municipal Corporation of Delhi (MCD) headquarters, an official told PTI.

The MCD commissioner, water board chief executive officer and the public works department principal secretary will attend the meeting, the official said.

The meeting was called after three IAS aspirants died due to flooding of their institute's basement in the coaching hub of Old Rajinder Nagar following heavy rain last week.

AAP leaders and workers protested outside LG Secretariat, demanding action against MCD Commissioner and officers over the Old Rajinder Nagar incident.

Speaking on the matter, AAP MLA Durgesh Pathak said, "Who will take action over no work done on the drainage system in Delhi in last 15-20 years? BJP should have shame. We demand that action should be taken against all officers including the senior officers who are found responsible. The responsibility also falls on the Municipal Commissioner. Bansuri Swaraj should also say that it was a BJP MP from the area for the last 11 years. She will have to answer why drainage was not made?"

Advocate Rudra Vikram Singh elaborated on PIL in Delhi HC seeking direction to constitute a High-Level Committee to probe death of 3 UPSC aspirants in Delhi, " I have made four prayers - First, to prove the incident; Second, asking what happened to the High Court order to initiate probe against illegal coaching institutes running in Delhi; Third, on a complaint by a student over illegal construction of library in the basement of the building where the incident happened; Fourth, district-level committees to probe illegal constructions in Delhi."

Pawan Gupta, a student and eyewitness who witnessed how the floodwater from street entered the coaching centre, shared his experience, “I was here when the incident happened. My coaching centre is just across the road. I waited for around two and a half hours for the water to recede. A four-wheeler passed through here, due to which a wave (high pressure) was created that broke the door (of the institute). Around 4 ft of water entered the institute at once. When they saw that water was filling inside, shouldn’t they (the institute) have rescued the students."

Delhi Fire Department in a statement revealed that they started the process of cancelling the NOC of the building in which Rau IAS coaching was functioning. "NOC of the building will be cancelled", they said.

The government issued guidelines on the regulation of coaching centers in January this year, Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan informed Lok Sabha on Monday, even as he evaded a direct reply to a question on the death of three IAS aspirants in Delhi due to flooding. 

During the Question Hour, Congress MP KC Venugopal mentioned the death of the three students and said the institute had no approved building. "Without an approved building, without any facility, some of the coaching centers become mafia... is the government going to take any action?" he said. 

In his response, Pradhan said, "The member has raised a question which is not related to the question put today." He said exhaustive and detailed guidelines on coaching centers were issued to all states in January, 2024.

On the issue of de-silting and waterlogging in Delhi, Minister Saurabh Bharadwaj said, "On February 6, I had issued the first notice to convene a meeting of all senior officials including Commissioner MCD over de-silting. I ordered that all departments should have a comprehensive strategy regarding de-silting to avoid waterlogging. You will be surprised to know that so many IAS officers including Naresh Kumar were called to the meeting but none of them attended it. This was the seriousness."

Delhi Fire Service Officials have initiated the process of cancelling the NOC of Rau's IAS Study Circle building in Old Rajinder Nagar. This comes after three UPSC aspirants drowned in the flooded basement of the coaching centre on Saturday.

In light of the death of three UPSC aspirants on Saturday, BJP councillors were seen protesting in the MCD house on Monday. Councillors were seen standing on tables and holding placards condemning the lack of action from MCD.

Furthermore, AAP leaders and workers were also seen protesting outside LG Secretariat against the MCD commissioner and officers.

Opposition councillors on Monday trooped into the well of the MCD House on Monday protesting the Rajinder Nagar coaching centre deaths and demanding resignation of the mayor and Delhi chief minister over the incident.

The BJP and Congress councillors also raised slogans and carried posters against the AAP-led Municipal Corporation of Delhi (MCD). Following the ruckus, the mayor adjourned the House even before it could begin and left.

Amid the death of three students in the basement of a coaching centre in Old Rajinder Nagar, MCD Commissioner has stated that action has been stepped up on illegal basements that are threat to safety.

A lawyer urged Delhi High Court on Monday to take cognisance of the deaths of three UPSC aspirants due to flooding of the basement of a coaching centre and order an immediate safety audit of all institutes and libraries in the capital.

In the letter sent by advocate Satayam Singh to Delhi HC's acting chief justice, the incident was "part of a larger pattern of negligence plaguing educational facilities" in areas where "countless" coaching centres were operating in blatant violation of Municipal Corporation of Delhi (MCD) regulations.

"The recurring nature of these incidents points to a systemic failure in ensuring student safety. The right to education ... must not come at the cost of the right to life under Article 21," Singh said in the letter.

Delhi Police has served a notice to MCD following the deaths of three UPSC aspirants in a flood on Saturday. The notice seeks information in the investigation of the case registered against a coaching centre in Old Rajinder Nagar.

Samajwadi Party Chief Akhilesh Yadav on Monday wrote to Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla and called on the Central government to to pay Rs 1 crore compensation to the next of kin of the students who died in the rain-flooded basement of a coaching centre in Delhi's Rajinder Nagar.

Following the death of three UPSC aspirants in the flooded basement of an IAS coaching centre in Delhi, the Municipal Corporation of Delhi has sealed at least 13 "illegal" coaching centres in the Old Rajinder Nagar.

Delhi's Tis Hazari Court has sent the five accused in the coaching centre flood case to 14-day judicial custody.

Delhi's Tis Hazari Court sent the five accused to judicial custody for 14-days. Among these are four co-owners of the coaching centre at Old Rajinder Nagar and the driver of a car. All five will remain in judicial custody till August 12.

Union Minister of Housing and Urban Affairs Manohar Lal Khattar on Monday said the Delhi government's "carelessness" is the reason behind the death of three students at a coaching institute in Old Rajendra Nagar.

Three civil services aspirants died after the basement of a building housing Rau's IAS Study Circle coaching institute was flooded following rain in central Delhi's Old Rajinder Nagar area on Saturday evening.

“I understand the agencies responsible for this carelessness is either the MCD or the Delhi government,” said the former Haryana CM.

The driver of a Thar car was captured on camera during the investigation into the deaths of three UPSC aspirants. In the court today, it was revealed that the the car caused the water to swell on the road and breach the gates of the three-storey IAS coaching centre and into the basement.

The driver was was among the five arrested. His counsel told the court that his client had no intention or knowledge of causing death and sought his immediate release on bail. However, the plea was denied by the court.

Delhi LG Saxena has announced compensation of Rs 10 lakh for the kin of the three IAS aspirants who were drowned in the flooded basement of a coaching centre in Old Rajinder Nagar.

The government has formed a panel to investigate the deaths at a coaching centre. The panel is expected to submit its report within 30 days.

Delhi Revenue minister Atishi on Monday flagged the delay in submission of magisterial inquiry report on the Rajinder Nagar coaching centre incident in a note to Chief Secretary Naresh Kumar and directed him to submit the report by 10 pm.

There was no immediate reaction from the Chief Secretary office.

“I had given directions at 11:20 pm on Saturday (27th July) regarding initiating a magisterial enquiry into the deaths of three IAS aspirants in Rajinder Nagar area... A report by the magisterial committee was to be submitted to the office of the undersigned within 24 hours.

“However,... am shocked to note that despite almost 40 hours having passed, I am yet to receive any official report or information from the Chief Secretary on the incident,” Atishi said in the note.

The minister said either “the officers of the Delhi government are not serious about enquiring into this tragedy, or they are trying to protect someone.” “The fact that the main accused runs an IAS coaching, one wonders whether he is well connected with the IAS fraternity. Such delays cannot be tolerated,” she said.

(via PTI)