Students protest over death of civil services aspirants after the basement of a building housing a coaching centre was flooded following heavy rainfall, in Delhi’s Old Rajinder Nagar area. (Image: PTI)
The MCD officials have reached the Rau’s IAS Study Circle building to probe the incident.
The Municipal Corporation of Delhi (MCD) officials reached the building housing the coaching centre Rau’s IAS Study Circle on Sunday evening and have begun to investigate the deaths of the three civil service aspirants.
Shreya Yadav of Ambedkar Nagar in Uttar Pradesh, Tanya Soni from Telangana, and Navin Dalwin from Ernakulam in Kerala died after the basement of the building housing the coaching centre Rau’s IAS Study Circle was flooded following heavy rain in central Delhi’s Old Rajinder Nagar area on Saturday evening.
The MCD officials said they are thoroughly investigating the matter to determine the cause of flooding in the basement. They have also sealed three such ‘illegal’ basements in the area.
They said that the property was in possession of all the necessary documents. “The property owner is found to be in violation of building bylaws as much as the use of the basement is concerned. The basement was allowed for parking and storage. Using the basement as library and reading hall was not allowed though stacking or stocking of books could be done,” they said.
They also dismissed reports of a so-called ‘drain burst’ terming it inconclusive and said they are investigating the matter.
A report by broadcaster India Today said the owner of the building, Abhishek Gupta, admitted that the basement of the institute, where the library was set up, did not have any drainage facilities due to which water accumulated there.
The broadcaster citing an FIR filed on Sunday said the basement is about eight feet below the ground and lacked a proper drainage system.
The accused, owner Abhishek Gupta and coordinator Deshpal Singh, have been sent to judicial custody.
The accused, owner Abhishek Gupta and coordinator Deshpal Singh, have been sent to judicial custody and were charged with culpable homicide and other offences under sections 105, 106(1), 115(2), 290, and 35 of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS).
