The tragic flooding incident at a coaching centre in Delhi’s Old Rajinder Nagar area has claimed the lives of three UPSC aspirants. Shreya Yadav from Uttar Pradesh, Tanya Soni from Telangana, and Navin Dalwin from Kerala lost their lives after the basement of the building housing Rau’s IAS Study Circle was inundated with water during heavy rains on Saturday evening.
Police investigations have revealed that the incident was a result of a combination of factors, including the illegal use of the basement as a library and the failure of civic authorities to maintain drainage infrastructure. A senior official privy to the investigation stated that the probe has identified two key reasons for the tragedy. Firstly, the civic authorities failed to clear the roadside drain before the monsoon season, leading to a blockage and subsequent overflow. Secondly, the basement, which was being illegally used as a library, lacked adequate drainage provisions.
According to sources in the police department, more than 35 individuals, including students and staff, were trapped in the basement when the water started pouring in. The basement’s gate was closed, but the immense pressure of the rainwater damaged the gate, allowing the water to rush in.
Furthermore, some students have alleged that the incident occurred after several people became trapped in the basement due to a malfunctioning biometric entry-exit system. The three-storey coaching institute, located in an area with residential and commercial establishments, had received permission to use the basement as a storage room. However, the institute was operating a library in violation of these rules.
The Delhi Police have formed multiple teams to thoroughly investigate the incident and determine the exact cause of the tragedy. Meanwhile, the Municipal Corporation of Delhi (MCD) has stated that the coaching centre had its building plan approved in 2021. An MCD official confirmed that the building completion certificate clearly stipulates that the basement can only be used for parking and storage. The official emphasized that the library was operating illegally in the basement.
The MCD official further stated that the storm drains designed to handle excess water during heavy rains in the Old Rajinder Nagar area were covered by encroachments. Local residents complained that the drains were heavily clogged with silt and overflowed, leading to a flood-like situation due to the heavy rains that lashed parts of Delhi on Saturday.
Police have arrested the owner and coordinator of the coaching centre, booking them for culpable homicide and other charges. The incident has sparked widespread outrage and calls for accountability, highlighting the need for stricter regulations and improved infrastructure to prevent such tragedies in the future.
