Delhi Fire Dept Starts Process To Cancel IAS Coaching Centre's NOC; L-G Visits Protest Site | Updates

The Delhi Fire Services on Monday began the process of cancelling the no-objection certificate granted to Rau’s IAS Study Circle, where three students drowned in the flooded basement “illegally” being used as a library. Sources said the certificate, which stated that the basement would be used for storage purposes, will be cancelled.

Lieutenant governor VK Saxena also visited the protest site in Old Rajender Nagar area where aspirants sat on the ground, demanding justice and compensation for the families of the deceased. He met protesters, who voiced their concerns and called for strict action against those responsible.

Amid slogans of ‘We Want Justice’, the barricades were removed during the visit as the L-G promised to not spare the guilty. “I promise no one will be spared… all those who are responsible will be punished. I am with you all… I need some time… I will come back whenever you all call me here,” he told the protesters.

Here are the latest updates:

Delhi Police Seeks MCD Report On Drainage Maintenance

The Delhi Police has requested the Municipal Corporation of Delhi (MCD) to provide a status update on the de-silting of drains near the Rajinder Nagar coaching center. They are seeking information on whether any complaints were lodged against the coaching institute with the civic agency and, if so, what actions were taken in response.

“We may question MCD officials about desilting of drains and the clearance certificate issued by them to the Rau’s IAS Study Circle where three students died due to flooding of a basement being used as a library,” a senior police officer said.

The MCD is responsible for maintaining stormwater drains, and it has been alleged that the drainage system near the coaching center in Old Rajinder Nagar was malfunctioning, resulting in significant rainwater accumulation on the road and flooding into the basement.

‘There Should Be No Politics..’: Dharmendra Pradhan

Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan on Monday said that coaching institutes must adhere to regulations and called for an end to political discourse surrounding the deaths of three UPSC aspirants due to flooding at a Delhi institute.

During a brief debate in the Rajya Sabha on the tragedy that happened on July 27 at a coaching center in Delhi’s Old Rajinder Nagar, Pradhan described the incident as unfortunate and said nothing could compensate for the loss suffered by the families.

“We must fix responsibility so that such incidents do not recur,” he said, adding, “There should be no politics… Negligence has happened and someone has to take responsibility so that a solution can be found.” Stressing that education is in the concurrent list and is the responsibility of the Centre as well as the state, Pradhan said the coaching centres have responsibilities too.

Crackdown On Encroachments In Old Rajinder Nagar

Several enforcement actions have been taken in response to illegal activities in Delhi’s Rajinder Nagar on Monday. Sources told News18 that at least four property basements, housing 14 coaching institutes or offices, have been sealed, and the process is underway for sealing four additional properties. In South Patel Nagar and Ranjit Nagar, six basement libraries and gyms have received show-cause notices.

Illegal encroachments, such as ramps in front of coaching centers, have been demolished using JCB machines since the morning. Additionally, two officers have been suspended or terminated, while one has been issued a show-cause notice. A survey of all buildings operating illegal libraries, offices, or gyms in basements is underway, with plans for time-bound sealing and demolition

Officers did not attend meeting to discuss desilting: AAP minister

AAP minister Saurabh Bharadwaj in a press conference alleged that a number of IAS officers, including chief secretary Naresh Kumar, did not attend a meeting on desilting and waterlogging convened by him. This comes amid an intensifying political blame game between the BJP and AAP, which is also attacking the L-G over the coaching centre deaths.

“On February 6, I had issued the first notice to convene a meeting of all senior officials including Commissioner MCD over de-silting. I ordered that all departments should have a comprehensive strategy regarding de-silting to avoid waterlogging. You will be surprised to know that so many IAS officers including Naresh Kumar were called to the meeting but none of them attended it. This was the seriousness,” Bharadwaj said.

Education minister evades direct reply on coaching tragedy, says guidelines issued in Jan

The government issued guidelines on the regulation of coaching centres in January, education minister Dharmendra Pradhan informed Lok Sabha even as he evaded a direct reply to a question on the death of the three IAS aspirants.  During the Question Hour, Congress MP KC Venugopal mentioned the deaths and said the institute had no approved building. “Without an approved building, without any facility, some of the coaching centres become mafia… is the government going to take any action?” he asked.

Pradhan said: “…There was negligence. Only when accountability is fixed, there will be a solution…It is our responsibility to ensure that such an incident is not repeated….”

BJP councillors protest in MCD House

BJP councillors, standing on tables and holding placards, protested against the coaching centre deaths in the MCD House that was adjourned due to the ruckus.

Security beefed up, paramilitary forces deployed

The security in the Old Rajender Nagar area was beefed up and paramilitary forces were deployed to maintain law and order. “The police have erected barricades near the protest site where students are sitting and protesting. The security personnel were initially checking the ID cards, but now they have allowed everyone to go to the protest site. Two earthmovers have also reached the spot,” said Ankit Singh, one of the protesters.

A senior police officer said, “We have deployed paramilitary forces and police in the area to maintain law and order.” There was a massive protest on Sunday (July 28) as well when the students squatted and blocked both the carriageways of the Pusa Road near the Karol Bagh Metro Station.

“We request all to maintain law and order. The Pusa Road is an important road with many hospitals in the vicinity. We have barricaded the area and deployed additional force to maintain peace. We will ensure that no one is disturbed due to the protest,” said the officer.

Delhi L-G wrote to CM on desilting, flooding

Amid a political blame game over the death of the three IAS aspirants, sources from the office of the Delhi L-G said the agencies concerned with desilting, drainage, sewerage and buildings are all under the AAP – namely, Delhi Jal Board, PWD, MCD and irrigation and flood control. The CM, ministers and mayor are directly responsible for these agencies, they said. Sources further said the L-G despite having no control over these agencies wrote to the CM about desilting and flooding on many times but to no avail. The L-G Secretariat also brought this criminal neglect to the attention of ministry of home affairs, they added.

Action against MCD officials, action against encroachment

A junior engineer has been terminated and an assistant engineer suspended in connection with the death of three IAS aspirants due flooding of a basement in the building of a coaching centre in Delhi’s Old Rajender Nagar. According to sources, the action was taken against the officials of the maintenance department for the Karol Bagh Zone. The termination and suspension orders will be released soon, they added.

The MCD has sent earth movers to Old Rajender Nagar area for taking action against alleged encroachment. Officials from the local administration and the police are also present at the site.

Delhi BJP chief calls deaths ‘murder’, asks AAP govt to resign

BJP leaders and workers staged a protest near the AAP office, demanding resignation of the Arvind Kejriwal government as Delhi BJP chief Virendra Sachdeva termed the coaching centre deaths a “murder”. “Those three students, who were the country’s future, died due to corruption of the Aam Aadmi Party that governs Delhi and MCD,” Sachdeva said.

“This is not an accident, it’s murder,” alleged Sachdeva during the protest. “Strict action must be taken against officers responsible for the death of these students. Whether they are from the MCD or any other agencies, they should be hanged,” he said, adding that water minister Atishi and Rajender Nagar AAP MLA should also resign.

The women protesters carried bangles and banged ‘thalis’ as a mark of protest. Water cannons were used by Delhi Police to disperse protesters, who were trying to reach the AAP headquarters.

The AAP also staged a protest outside the LG Secretariat to demand action against officials for allegedly not completing desilting of drains in the capital. The party, however, promised action against officials involved in the incident but also said it is the responsibility of the L-G to take this action.

“It is a very unfortunate incident… Many coaching centres are running libraries, classes in their basement illegally. Action will be taken against the officials who are involved in it…The officials are not working and it is the responsibility of LG of Delhi to take action against them. I want to ask the BJP why are they punishing the people of Delhi?…. They took away the right to transfer the officials and now when it comes to taking action they (BJP) are conspiring with the LG of Delhi…We will expose them…” said AAP MP Sanjay Singh.

On the Old Rajender Nagar coaching centre incident, AAP MLA Durgesh Pathak says, “Who will take action over no work done on the drainage system in Delhi in last 15-20 years? BJP should have shame. We demand that action should be taken against all officers including the senior officers who are found responsible. The responsibility also falls on the Municipal Commissioner. Bansuri Swaraj should also say that it was a BJP MP from the area for the last 11 years. She will have to answer why drainage was not made?”

Coaching has become commercial activity: Dhankhar

A short duration discussion on the coaching centre deaths will be held as vice-president and Rajya Sabha chairperson Jagdeep Singh Dhankhar allowed notices under Rule 267. He said he “deems it appropriate” and will hold a meeting with the leaders of all parties in his chamber on this issue.

“This is a tragic incident. I have received notices under Rule 267…They have demanded a discussion on the tragic death of UPSC aspirants in Delhi due to negligence of authorities…I find that youth demographic dividend of the country has to be nurtured, I further find that coaching has become virtually commerce. Every time we read a newspaper, the front one or two pages are of their advertisements…” he said.

Delhi Mayor calls emergency meeting

Delhi mayor Shelly Oberoi has called an emergency meeting at the MCD Civic Centre at 3 pm. The MCD commissioner, chief executive officer of the Jal Board and principal secretary of the public works department will attend the meeting.

Lok Sabha Members Demand Inquiry

Lok Sabha members cutting across party lines demanded an inquiry into the death of the three IAS aspirants, with the BJP blaming the city’s AAP government for the tragic incident. BJP leader and New Delhi Lok Sabha MP Bansuri Swaraj blamed the AAP’s “utter apathy” for the death of the students and demanded that an inquiry committee under the Home Ministry be set up to probe the incident.

“Criminal negligence of the Aam Aadmi Party has led to the death of these students. An inquiry should be set up on the Delhi Government which is neck deep in corruption. Why are the drains not being cleaned in Delhi?” she asked during the Zero Hour.

Congress MP from Thiruvananthapuram, Shashi Tharoor said there has been a violation in the safety codes, and demanded compensation for the families. He said drains have to be cleaned and steps taken to prevent recurrence of such incidents. He further demanded a comprehensive inquiry on the matter.

SP chief Akhilesh Yadav said the incident is tragic and there should be thorough investigation to ascertain who is responsible for what has happened to the students. “In Uttar Pradesh, bulldozer is run over illegal buildings. I want to know if bulldozers will be run here also,” he said.

Police May Question MCD Officials

Delhi Police may question MCD officials about desilting of drains and the clearance certificate issued by them to the Rau’s IAS Study Circle, sources said. The police are going to write to the civic body over these issues and, if required, may call the officers concerned for questioning in the course of the probe.

As of now, the police are checking the documents of coaching centres operating in the area. The MCD, meanwhile, sealed 13 coaching centres as it launched action against illegally run classes. Rau’s IAS Study Circle, where the flooding incident took place on Saturday evening (July 27), has also been sealed. This particular institute was running a library from its basement instead of using it for storage purposes, in violation of its no-objection certificate from the Delhi Fire Services (DFS).

The MCD is responsible for the desilting of storm water drains. It has been alleged the drainage system near the coaching centre in the Old Rajender Nagar area was not working properly due to which a large quantity of rainwater got accumulated on the road and gushed into the basement.

A Delhi Police official said they will also seek the details from the MCD about the cleaning of the drains and the number of inspections they carried out in the area. The police will also ask the MCD to furnish the occupancy certificate where the basement owner allegedly said it would be used for parking and household storage, sources said.

Body of Male Student Handed Over to Family

The body of Nevin Delvin was handed over to his family after post-mortem. The bodies of the other two students were handed over to their families on Sunday (July 28). Delvin’s body was handed over to his maternal uncle Linu Raj at RML hospital and then taken for embalming.

“We will take an evening flight and take his body to Trivandrum, his native place for the funeral. We learnt about the incident on Sunday morning,” his uncle said. Devlin was pursuing PhD from Jawaharlal Nehru University (JNU).

Medical superintendent of RML hospital, Dr Ajay Shukla said: “Out of the total 17 students brought here, three students were brought dead. The remaining 14 students were discharged yesterday.”

No permission for commercial activity in basement: DCP

Harshavardhan said there was no permission to carry out commercial activity in the basement and the police will examine the role of the Municipal Corporation of Delhi (MCD). “Five more people, including owners of the basement and an individual who drove a vehicle that appears to have damaged the gate of the building, have been arrested. There was no permission to carry out commercial activity in the basement. We have sought some information from MCD, and we will examine their role too. The investigation is on from all angles. We appeal to the protesting students to maintain peace and not block the main roads, and have confidence that strict action is being taken in this case,” he said.

On why a driver has been arrested, the DCP said the person was driving at high speed through the waterlogged road and a street vendor also tried to stop him before he hit the gate of the coaching centre and damaged it. “Negligence has been established on part of the driver arrested by Delhi Police… He was driving the vehicle very fast, due to which the gate of the coaching centre broke. Before he hit the building gate, a street vendor had tried to stop him,” he added.

Congress MPs Shashi Tharoor, Jebi Mather meet victims’ families

Congress MPs Shashi Tharoor and Jebi Mather visited the RML Hospital and met the victims’ families. “This is shameful, there is no doubt about it… The dreams of those youth have been shattered, the hopes of their families snuffed. This is extremely saddening for the country, for its future and the future of the youth. What solution can you bring forth when a life is lost? Yes, compensation should be provided. What is most important is to ensure that this doesn’t happen again so that nobody has to suffer through the same loss again…” he said.

“Family of the boy from Kerala is here and the postmortem is going to happen, so we won’t want to make this an issue at the moment but the fact remains that there is a gross failure on part of both the government and MCD, and such instances are becoming common because such coaching centres with no proper facilities are coming up. So, this is a case where I have asked question in Parliament, too, received an answer but right now since the family is here we don’t want to make it an issue at that level because we stand with the families…” Mather said.

Five more arrested, total 7 in custody

Delhi Police said it has arrested five more persons including a driver who damaged the gate of the coaching centre causing water to enter its basement. With this, a total of seven are now in custody including Rau’s IAS Study Circle owner Abhishek Gupta and coordinator Deshpal Singh, who were booked for culpable homicide and other charges.

According to police sources, the five people who were arrested include four owners of the basement and a driver of the vehicle, which waded through rainwater due to which the water flow increased and the door of the basement got knocked down. In the building that was flooded, all the floors have different owners and, hence, the owners of the basement have also been arrested, the sources said.

“Whoever is at fault in this incident will not be spared. We are taking strict action against those responsible for the incident and maintaining law and order in the area,” DCP M Harshavardhan told ANI.

Congress demands ‘accountability’ for deaths in Parliament

Congress MPs Dr Amar Singh and Manickam Tagore moved adjournment motions in the Lok Sabha “demanding accountability” for the coaching centre deaths and for Delhi’s “infrastructure tragedies and tragic losses”. “I have moved the notice to discuss this important issue. This is really concerning; these students, who could have been the future of this country, have lost their lives. The accountability lies with the L-G; he should answer why such incidents are happening,” Tagore said.

On the accountability of the AAP, the Congress leader said the MCD has been ruled by the party over the past year, but all decisions are taken by the L-G who directly reports to Union home minister Amit Shah.

The Congress faces a dilemma, when it comes to its national alliance, over the incident as Delhi leaders want to attack and keep the focus on the AAP so as to hold the party accountable. But, national level leaders are concerned about this and want to blame the L-G and the central government.

Don’t blame anyone over this, says victim’s uncle

The uncle of Nevin Delvin, one of the three victims, said he does not blame anyone over his nephew’s death but such incidents should not happen and the authorities must ensure that. “I came here last night and went to Old Rajinder Nagar police station. I identified Navin’s body. The post-mortem will begin today at 10 am and in the evening, I will take his body. Such incidents should not happen at all. The authorities should make sure no life is lost like this. Navin’s mother is in hospital. I don’t blame anyone over this. I just hope such incidents happen in the future,” Linu Raj told CNN-News18.

After seven hours of intense rescue operations, the National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) retrieved the bodies of two females and one male from the basement of the coaching centre. Police identified the victims as Shreya Yadav of Ambedkar Nagar in Uttar Pradesh, Tanya Soni from Telangana and Nevin Delvin from Ernakulam in Kerala.