Students continue protests against coaching facilities over deaths of 3 UPSC aspirants in Delhi

Aug 01, 2024

New Delhi [India], August 1 : Protests outside the coaching institutes in Delhi's Rajinder Nagar continued for the fifth day on Thursday after three UPSC aspirants lost their lives in a flooding incident at the basement of the IAS coaching centre.
The students have been protesting since July 27.
A UPSC aspirant and one of the protestors said that the students would continue their protest.
"They have promised us because they want us to be removed from this place (the protest area). I also went to the MCD office, where they asked me to end the protest. I raised the issue of corruption and clearly said that the protest will not end until and unless our demands are fulfilled," a protesting student told ANI.
Another student said no work has been done by the administration at ground level.
"The administration is saying that we should end this protest and that we will fulfil your demands, but how can we believe them? After four days, the situation is the same. In the future also there is fear of casualties. We will carry on the protest," he said.
Another UPSC aspirant said that the government should respond to the problems of the students.
"For the last four days, we have been protesting here and no one has responded. Administration is not able to find a solution for this thing. From 10-15 years, UPSC aspirants are facing the same problems, like broker harassment, and landlord harassment. The infrastructure of the old Rajendra Nagar is insufficient. I think the government should immediately respond to what students are demanding," he added.
On Wednesday, Municipal Corporation of Delhi (MCD) Commissioner Ashwani Kumar met a delegation of UPSC aspirants at the agency headquarters.
A total of 28 students met the Commissioner with their suggestions. The Commissioner had an elaborate discussion and assured students of the proper redressal of their grievances.
The Delhi Police arrested the owner and coordinator of the coaching centre in connection with the incident and charged them with culpable homicide, among other charges.
The MCD initiated disciplinary proceedings against the executive engineer and assistant engineer of Karol Bagh Zone following the incident.
So far, Delhi police have arrested seven people, including the driver of an SUV, in connection with the incident.
The victims who died in the incident have been identified 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, told DCP Central M Harshavardhan told ANI.
Earlier, the National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) issued notices to the Delhi Chief Secretary, the Police Commissioner, and the MCD Commissioner on Tuesday, calling for a detailed report on the matter within two weeks.
The NHRC also directed a survey to identify the number of such institutes and coaching centres operating in violation of prescribed norms in the national capital and to take action against negligent officers failing to address these irregularities.