Basement flooding kills three students in IAS coaching centre; Delhi Police detains owner, coordinator

Delhi Police on Sunday detained the owner and coordinator of the IAS coaching centre, where three students lost their lives after the basement of the institute was filled with water, a senior police officer said.

Deputy Commissioner of Police (DCP) Central, M Harshavardhan also said that the police have registered a case against the coaching institute, the management of the building, and those responsible for the maintenance of the drain at that location.

"Case registered under sections 105, 106 (1), 115 (2), 290 and 35 of BNS. This case is against the coaching institute and the management of the building and those who were responsible for the maintenance of the drain of that place...so far we have detained the owner and coordinator of that coaching centre...further investigation underway" DCP Harshavardhan told ANI.

The police identified the victims of Delhi's Old Rajender Nagar coaching centre incident as Shreya Yadav, a native of Ambedkar Nagar district of Uttar Pradesh, Tanya Soni from Telangana; and Nivin Dalwin, a resident of Kerala's Ernakulam.

"Rescue operations were launched, along with Delhi Police and Delhi Fire Service, NDRF was also involved. By the end of the search and rescue op...3 bodies were recovered from the basement. All 3 of them have been identified and the family members have been informed."

Police have sent their bodies to the Ram Manohar Lohia Hospital (RML) for an autopsy.

Earlier in the day, Additional Deputy Commissioner of Police Sachin Sharma assured protesting students that the police would conduct a thorough investigation and take necessary action.

Additional Deputy Commissioner of Police Sachin Sharma while addressing protesting students, said, "Three people have died. Why will we hide anything? We assure you that we will do whatever is legally possible. The investigation is on."

The students were demonstrating against the Municipal Corporation of Delhi (MCD) and the management of the IAS coaching institute, demanding action over the deaths of three students.

Meanwhile, former Delhi Commission for Women (DCW) Chief Swati Maliwal has alleged corruption in the operation of illegal basements in the city.

"Who will take responsibility for the deaths of three students due to drowning in the basement? Students reveal that they had been demanding drain cleaning repeatedly for ten days, but no action was taken. How can illegal basements operate without corruption? How can extra floors be added? How can encroachments on roads and drains occur without bribes? It is clear that there is no need to follow safety rules, just pay money, and the work gets done," Maliwal said in a post on X.

"Just sit in AC rooms every day and conduct 'Important Press Conferences'. They are not ready to work on the ground. Haven't they learned anything from the deaths due to electric shocks in Patel Nagar a few days ago?" she added in the post.

Notably, the Old Rajender Nagar incident comes days after a UPSC aspirant was electrocuted on a waterlogged Delhi street.