UPSC aspirants continue protests against coaching facilities over deaths of three students in Delhi

Aug 02, 2024

New Delhi [India], August 2 : Protests outside the coaching institutes in Delhi's Rajinder Nagar continued for the sixth day on Friday after three UPSC aspirants lost their lives in a flooding incident at an IAS coaching center.
The students have been protesting since July 27.

The protests follow the deaths of three civil service aspirants after a basement library at Rau's IAS campus was flooded during heavy rain on July 27 in Old Rajinder Nagar, reportedly causing damage to the single biometric entry and exit point.
The incident, which occurred on Saturday after a nearby drain burst, claimed the lives of Shreya Yadav (Uttar Pradesh), Nivin Dalwin (Kerala) and Tanya Soni (Telangana) in the basement of Rau's IAS Circle in Old Rajinder Nagar.
On Thursday, Delhi Mayor Shelly Oberoi ordered officials to set up four libraries in the name of the three deceased UPSC aspirants who lost their lives in the Rajinder Nagar basement flood incident earlier on July 27.
Mayor Oberoi said that, as per the proposed plan, the four public libraries may be established by the Municipal Corporation of Delhi (MCD) in Rajinder Nagar, Mukherjee Nagar, Patel Nagar, and Ber Sarai.
The Delhi Mayor said, "Nothing can fulfill the loss that Delhi feels, but we are trying to improve public reading spaces for students."
Municipal Corporation of Delhi (MCD) Commissioner Ashwani Kumar also met a delegation of UPSC aspirants and ordered to prevent misuse of the basement.
The tragic death of aspirants highlighted the urgent need for stricter regulations and enforcement to prevent future tragedies.
The MCD Commissioner has ordered the building with a basement to be surveyed and immediate action, including sealing, to be taken against those who are found misusing the same. There should be separate entry and exit gates for the basement.
All building plans shall be made available in the public domain so that violators can be detected and all encroachments above drains and footpaths shall be removed.
So far, Delhi police have arrested seven people, including the driver of an SUV, in connection with the incident.
Delhi's Tis Hazari court on Thursday granted bail to Manuj Kathuria, the SUV driver accused in the deaths of three UPSC aspirants at a coaching center in Old Rajinder Nagar.
It was alleged that he drove his vehicle in a rash and negligent manner that caused water to enter the basement.