Three students have tragically died due to severe waterlogging in a coaching institute building in Rajendra Nagar, Delhi. The deceased include two girls and a boy. This incident has ignited protests among students preparing for civil services in the area.
The coaching institute, known for preparing students for the civil services examination, saw its basement library flood suddenly around 7 PM on Saturday evening following heavy rains. At the time of the incident, several students were present in the library. The Delhi Police and the National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) promptly arrived to evacuate the trapped students.
Flooding issue has persisted for the last two years
Students have long complained about the area's susceptibility to flooding, even after brief rain showers. A student reported that this flooding issue has persisted for the last two years, with waterlogging occurring regularly.
80 pc of libraries in the area are located in basements
Just six days prior, a student in nearby Patel Nagar died due to an electric shock caused by similar flooding conditions. Another student informed media that 80 percent of the libraries in the area are located in basements, exacerbating the risk during floods.
We will take all legally possible actions: DCP
Following the incident, Additional Deputy Commissioner of Police (DCP) Sachin Sharma visited the protest site to address the students' concerns. He stated, "Three people have died. Eleven have been rescued safely, and four required hospital treatment. We assure you that we will take all legally possible actions."
DCP Central M. Harshvardhan confirmed that three bodies were recovered from the basement library, and the rest of the people were evacuated from various parts of the building. A criminal case has been registered, and two people have been detained for questioning, with more detentions possible.
Owner, coordinator of coaching centre held
The owner and coordinator of the coaching centre in Delhi’s Old Rajender Nagar, where three students drowned in the basement after it was flooded due to heavy rain, were arrested and booked under charges of culpable homicide among others. Police identified the owner as Abhishek Gupta and the other accused as Deshpal Singh
Incident sparks political blame game
The incident has also sparked political controversy. The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) has held the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) government accountable. BJP MP Bansuri Swaraj criticized the government, claiming that residents had repeatedly requested the cleaning of local drains. She asserted that the responsibility for the tragedy lies with the AAP.
In response, AAP representatives, including local MLA Durgesh Pathak, countered the BJP's accusations. Pathak stated that the area where the incident occurred is prone to sudden flooding due to broken drains or sewers. He pointed out that the BJP, which controlled the Delhi Municipal Corporation for years, failed to address the drainage issues. He argued that not all drains could be constructed in one year under AAP's governance.
Action will be taken against those responsible: Delhi Mayor
Delhi Mayor Shaili Oberoi assured that action would be taken against those responsible for the incident. Additionally, Delhi government minister Atishi ordered a magisterial investigation into the matter, with a report expected within 24 hours. Atishi promised strict action against those found culpable.
Guilty will be brought to book: Delhi L-G
Expressing his anguish over the deaths of the students, Delhi L-G VK Saxena said such incidents point towards criminal neglect, lack of maintenance by agencies and departments. “…I have asked the Divisional Commissioner to submit a report, covering every aspect of the tragic incident by Tuesday. While nothing can bring back the precious young lives lost due to apathy of the administration and criminal misconduct of those running coaching institutions, responsibility of those who caused the loss of lives, will be fixed and guilty will be brought to book,” he said in a post on X.
Collective failure of system: Rahul
Congress MP and Leader of the Opposition in Lok Sabha Rahul Gandhi condoled the death of the three IAS aspirants and said the incident is a result of the “collective failure of the system”. He said the common citizen is paying the price of unsafe construction, poor town planning and institutional apathy.
Congress national president Mallikarjun Kharge said it is sad to see that they lost their lives due to waterlogging inside a basement. He said the capital of India is suffering the “brunt of indifference” and such accidents are taking place every day.
Rajendra Nagar and Mukherjee Nagar areas of Delhi are well-known for their coaching institutes, attracting students from across the country. These areas are crowded with students preparing for civil services and other competitive exams. Last June, another incident in Mukherjee Nagar saw students narrowly escape a fire at a coaching institute by jumping from the roof.
The student protests continue, demanding accountability and action to prevent such disasters in the future.