Old Rajendra Nagar Incident Update: On Sunday (28 July), the coaching centre expressed grief after the death of three students (two girl students and one boy student) due to water logging in the basement of a building in Old Rajendra Nagar, Delhi. Along with this, MCD action has also started. 13 coaching centres have been sealed.
1. On the orders of the mayor, 13 coaching centers have been sealed. On the orders of Mayor Shelly Oberoi, officials sealed 13 coaching centers operating illegally in basements in Rajendra Nagar area late Sunday night.
2. These include 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, Easy for IAS.
3. MCD officials informed that these coaching centres were being run in various areas of Rajendra Nagar. In violation of the rules, coaching centres were found to be running in the basement and they were sealed on the spot and notices were pasted.
4. On the other hand, the accused coaching center said in a statement, “In view of the tragic incident involving the students of Rajendra Nagar Rao IAS Study Circle, Rao IAS Study Circle expresses its deepest condolences to the families of the deceased students – Tanya Soni, Naveen Dalvin and Shreya Yadav. Our condolences are with their families in this difficult time.” The coaching institute said in a statement that they are “deeply saddened by the death of these promising youth, who were preparing to serve our country with dedication and commitment.”
5. The statement said, “Rao IAS Study Circle is fully committed to cooperate in the investigation of this tragic incident. We are fully cooperating with the concerned authorities and agencies to ensure that all necessary information is provided and the investigation proceeds with alacrity.”
6. Police have arrested the owner and coordinator of Rao IAS Study Circle and booked him under charges of culpable homicide and other charges. The absence of drainage system and safety measures as well as violation of norms led to the death of three civil service exam aspirants, officials and students said on Sunday.
7. The Delhi government has ordered a magisterial inquiry into the incident. The coaching centre’s statement said, “This tragic incident has affected all of us and we understand its deep impact on their families, friends and the wider community.”
8. A day after the death of UPSC aspirants, a senior official of the Municipal Corporation of Delhi (MCD) on Sunday said that waterlogging in Old Rajendra Nagar was caused due to encroachment on storm drains. He said that the drains were covered due to encroachment. At the same time, local people claimed that a large amount of silt had accumulated in the drains of the area and the water flowing out after the rain created a flood-like situation.
9. On the question of silt accumulation in the drains of the area and their completion of cleaning, a senior MCD official said that people have encroached the roadsides and covered the drains. He said that due to this, water could not drain out and flood-like conditions arose in the area and water entered the basement of the coaching centre building. The coaching centre falls in the Karol Bagh zone of the MCD.
10. Along with this, the Municipal Corporation of Delhi (MCD) has started taking action against coaching centers violating the rules. The corporation will form a high-level committee to investigate the incident of death of three people due to flooding in the basement of a coaching center. Apart from this, the National Commission for Women (NCW) has summoned Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) MLA Durgesh Pathak in the case of death of three civil service aspirants including two girls due to flooding in the basement of a coaching center in Rajendra Nagar area of Delhi.