A Union Public Service Commission aspirant had on June 26 warned the Municipal Corporation of Delhi about the risk to students’ lives at a private coaching centre in the capital’s Old Rajinder Nagar, reported The Indian Express on Monday.
Three students who were enrolled at Rau’s IAS Study Circle drowned on Saturday when the coaching centre, located in a basement, flooded after a nearby drainage pipeline burst. They were preparing to appear for the Indian Administrative Services examination.
Kishor Singh Kushwah, the complainant, had flagged the allegedly illegal use of the basement by Rau’s IAS Study Circle to the municipal corporation. He claimed that the centre did not have the necessary permissions to use the facility to run a commercial enterprise, reported The Indian Express.
“Despite not having permission, they [Rau’s] are running a classroom without NOC [no objection certificate] in the basement; they are running test classes, which are affecting the lives of students and staff,” Kushwah had told the civic body, according to The Indian Express.
He added: “There is a possibility of a major accident…big UPSC [Union Public Service Commission] coaching institutes are running classes at illegal places by putting the lives of the students at risk.”
Kushwah checked the status of his complaint on July 15 and July 22, but said that no action had been taken and that his complaint was simply shown as “under process” on the Municipal Corporation of Delhi’s website.
According to the August 2021 completion certificate of the building where the accident occurred, the basement had permission to house two staircases, two lifts, two lift lobbies, a parking bay, a car lift and a storage area, the newspaper reported.
On Sunday, Delhi Mayor Shelly Oberoi said that she had written to the Municipal Corporation of Delhi to ensure that strict action is taken against the coaching centre for violating Delhi’s building bylaws.
“All such coaching centres across Delhi which are under the jurisdiction of MCD and running commercial activities in basements which are in violation of building bye-laws and are not as per norms, strict action should be taken against them immediately,” said the mayor’s notice. “Immediate enquiry to conducted to identify if any officers of MCD are responsible for this tragedy.”
Later in the day, the civic body sealed at least 13 “illegal” coaching centres in Rajinder Nagar, NDTV reported.
“These coaching centres were found to be operating in basements in violation of rules and they were sealed on the spot and notices were pasted,” said Oberoi.
The incident has sparked protests by students enrolled at similar coaching centres in Rajinder Nagar.
On Sunday, Rau’s IAS Study Circle said it was “fully committed to supporting the ongoing investigations into this tragic incident”.
“We are cooperating fully with the relevant authorities and agencies to ensure that all necessary information is provided and that the investigation proceeds with the utmost diligence,” said the coaching centre. “We are dedicated to assisting in any way possible to uncover the truth and ensure accountability.”
Five more arrested
On Monday, the Delhi Police arrested five more persons in connection with the deaths of the three students, ANI reported.
Among them are the owners of the basement property and an individual who was driving a vehicle that damaged the gate of the building, which later prevented the students from escaping, according to The Hindu. The police have arrested seven persons in all.
Deputy Commissioner of Police (Central) M Harsha Vardhan said those at fault would not be spared. “We are taking strict action against those responsible for the incident and maintaining law and order in the area,” he added.
A day earlier, the police arrested the owner of Rau’s IAS Study Circle and the coordinator of the coaching centre.
A first information report was registered against the two of them for culpable homicide and death caused by negligence, the news agency quoted Vardhan as saying.
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