New Delhi: Angry students protested and raised slogans against authorities outside a coaching centre on Sunday after three civil service aspirants died in a flooded basement in West Delhi following heavy rains the previous night.
After seven hours of rescue efforts, the National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) concluded its search at the coaching centre in Delhi’s Old Rajinder Nagar area, where the three aspirants died due to the flooding, officials said on Sunday.
On Sunday, the Delhi Police arrested the owner and coordinator of the coaching institute in connection with the fatal incident. They have been booked under charges of culpable homicide, among others.
“So far, we have detained two people—the owner, Abhishek Gupta, and Deshpal Singh, the coordinator of the coaching centre,” Deputy Commissioner of Police M Harsha Vardhan said.
“We have registered an FIR at Rajinder Nagar Police Station under sections 105 (culpable homicide), 106(1) (death of any person by doing any rash or negligent act not amounting to culpable homicide), 115(2) (punishment for voluntarily causing hurt), 290 (negligent conduct with respect to pulling down, repairing, or constructing buildings) and 35 of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS) and launched an investigation,” the DCP said.
“Search and rescue operation ended. Total three bodies were recovered from the basement. All were identified and we have informed the family members about the incident,” the DCP added.
A preliminary investigation suggests that the basement housed a library where several students were present.
Meanwhile, Delhi Mayor Shelly Oberoi on Sunday directed the MCD commissioner to take strict action against commercial activitis beeing run in basements. She also called for an inquiry to identify if any MCD officers were responsible for the tragic incident.
