New Delhi: Three civil service aspirants were trapped in the basement of a building housing a coaching centre on Saturday after water suddenly entered following heavy rain in parts of Delhi. Officials informed on Sunday that three bodies were recovered from the basement of the coaching centre in Delhi’s Old Rajendra Nagar.
Two female and one male UPSC aspirant died, while a few others were trapped for several hours after water suddenly entered the basement of the coaching centre.
“The unfortunate incident took place at one coaching centre at Old Rajendra Nagar, at the conclusion of search and rescue operations, 3 dead bodies were recovered. Their families have been informed,” Delhi Police posted on X.
“The case has been registered & and the investigation is underway,” the post added.
The Delhi Fire Services (DFS) reportedly received a call about waterlogging from the Rau’s IAS Study Centre at around 7 p.m. on Saturday, after which five fire engines were dispatched to assist in rescue operations.
Teams from the National Disaster Response Force were also at the spot.
The incident comes days after a UPSC aspirant was electrocuted while trying to cross a waterlogged street in Patel Nagar, which is also in West Delhi.
Earlier, in a post on social media platform X, Delhi Public Works Department Minister Atishisaid: “There is news of an accident due to heavy rain in Delhi in the evening. There is news of water flooding the basement of a coaching institute in Rajendra Nagar. The Delhi Fire Department and NDRF are at the spot. The Delhi Mayor and local MLA are also there. I am taking updates of the incident every minute.”
“Orders have been given for a magisterial inquiry into how this incident happened. Whoever is responsible for this incident will not be spared,” Atishi said in the post.
BJP blames the AAP government
Meanwhile, The BJP has blamed the AAP government for the death of two UPSC aspirants.
Reacting to the incident, BJP Spokesperson Shehzad Poonawalla said, “This is not an accident but a murder committed by the Aam Aadmi Party; it is criminal negligence due to which at least two girls have lost their lives…”
Referring to the recent death of another UPSC aspirant who was electrocuted while trying to cross a waterlogged street in Patel Nagar, Poonawalla said, “Many deaths have occurred in a similar manner. Do the lives of Delhiites have no value? The only priority of (Chief Minister) Arvind Kejriwal and the Aam Aadmi Party government is to hold press conferences, give advertisements and blame others.”
The BJP spokesperson held the AAP government responsible for waterlogging in Delhi.
BJP National Secretary Manjinder Singh Sirsa accused the AAP government of “siphoning off” the money meant for cleaning drains. He said that Delhi gets flooded even if it rains for an hour.
Taking a dig at AAP minister Atishi’s announcement of a magisterial inquiry into the Rajendra Nagar incident, Sirsa said that an investigation needs to be done into Arvind Kejriwal and his ministers, who “looted” Delhi.
He also held the AAP government responsible for the death of the two UPSC aspirants.
Night-long protest by students
Students continue to protest outside the coaching centre.
As knee-deep water becomes flooded during rainfall, a demonstrator demanded quick punishment against the culprits and the precise number of injuries and deaths, calling it a “complete negligence” of the government.
Calling it an “unfortunate” incident, AAP MP Swati Maliwal who also faced the ire of students said, “Can’t even imagine what this child’s family must be going through. Just a few days ago, a student died due to an electric shock in Patel Nagar. Accountability should be fixed for this incident. Those guilty of negligence should be punished. I am going to raise this issue in Parliament.”
“These children came here to create their future. But the government of CM Arvind Kejriwal and MLA Durgesh Pathak did not listen to any requests of the local people. People had been asking Durgesh Pathak for last one week to get the drainage systems cleaned. There are still 2.5 feet of waterlogged on the street. Arvind Kejriwal and Durgesh Pathak are responsible for the deaths,” said newly elected BJP MP Bansuri Swaraj.
The students plan to take out a protest march later today.
–IANS
