Delhi: 3 UPSC Aspirants Die After Coaching Centre Basements Floods In Old Rajinder Nagar; BJP Calls It 'Criminal Negligence'

The Delhi Fire Department (DFS) reported that they received an alert at approximately 7 pm on Saturday about severe waterlogging at Rau's IAS Study Circle, where the basement of the institute was submerged.

DCP (Central Delhi) M Harshavardhan said that someone called them saying, "The caller told us that there was a possibility that some people were trapped. We are investigating how the entire basement was flooded."

"It appeared that the basement got flooded very fast due to which some people were trapped inside," he said.

A fire department official said that five fire trucks were sent to the scene. When they arrived, the basement was completely filled with water.

During the rescue effort by the NDRF, local police, and firefighters, they recovered the bodies of two female students and one male student.

Authorities have not yet revealed the identities of the victims.

The rescue operation was continuing past midnight.

Water is being pumped out from the basement, where the water level is still 7 feet, DCP Harshavardhan told reporters.

Students held a protest over the deaths of the civil services aspirants, raising slogans against authorities.

How Did This Happen?

Preliminary investigation suggests that the basement housed a library where several students were present. Water suddenly started flooding the basement. Ropes were used to evacuate the trapped students, the officials said.

The furniture in the coaching centre started floating when it was flooded and this created obstruction in the rescue operation, a police officer said.

Earlier this week, a 26-year-old civil services aspirant was electrocuted after he touched an iron gate that had electricity running through it following heavy rain in central Delhi's Patel Nagar area

How Has AAP And BJP Reacted?

Revenue Minister Atishi directed Chief Secretary Naresh Kumar to initiate an inquiry and submit a report within 24 hours on the incident.

"A magisterial inquiry has been ordered to investigate how this incident happened. Whoever is responsible for this incident will not be spared," Atishi posted on X.

Delhi BJP chief Virendra Sachdeva and New Delhi MP Bansuri Swaraj visited the site and blamed the AAP administration for the incident, saying the local MLA had ignored repeated appeals by locals to get the drains cleaned.

"Delhi Government's criminal negligence is responsible for this mishap. Jal Board Minister Atishi and local MLA Durgesh Pathak should take responsibility and resign," Sachdeva said.

BJP leader Manjinder Sirsa claimed that 18 people were still trapped but there was no official confirmation.

Swaraj said that divers had to be called to rescue the students.

"For the past week, locals were urging AAP MLA Durgesh Pathak to get the drain here cleaned. However, Durgesh Pathak didn't listen to them. Arvind Kejriwal, Durgesh Pathak and the AAP government are entirely responsible for this incident," she said.