A tragic incident occurred on the evening of July 27 at RAU'S IAS Coaching Center located in Old Rajendra Nagar, Delhi, resulting in the deaths of two female students and one male student. Rainwater from the street flooded the coaching center's library in the basement. Out of the 30 students present in the library at the time, 27 managed to escape, but three got trapped. Numerous videos circulating online provide insight into how the basement flooding led to this disaster.
The viral videos show widespread waterlogging outside RAU'S IAS Coaching Center following the rain, creating a flood-like situation. The coaching center's entry gate can be seen in the video. This iron gate was supposed to prevent street water from entering the basement. Ideally, after the rain, the basement library should have been closed, and the students should have been evacuated, but this was not done.
Another viral video shows an SUV passing by the coaching center. As the SUV drives through the accumulated water, it creates waves, putting pressure on the coaching center's gate. The gate gave way, and the water outside rushed into the coaching center. In the video, people can be seen and heard shouting as the water surged due to the passing SUV.
A video from within RAU'S IAS Coaching Center surfaces, showing water rapidly flooding the basement. Several students are seen escaping from the basement, drenched. An FIR has been lodged, accusing negligence in the case that led to the deaths of three students. Some students reported that a week earlier, the street outside the coaching center had water up to chest height after it rained. Despite this, no measures were taken for student safety.
Arrest of the Coaching Owner and Coordinator
These tragic events highlight the severe issues of inadequate infrastructure and collapsed sewage systems in the national capital. In connection with the July 27 incident in Old Rajendra Nagar, Delhi Police have arrested the owner and coordinator of RAU'S IAS Coaching Center. The victims who lost their lives due to water accumulation in the library at the coaching center basement have been identified as 25-year-old Shreya Yadav from Uttar Pradesh, 25-year-old Tanya Soni from Telangana, and 28-year-old Nevin Dalvin from Kerala. Most coaching institutes in Delhi charge around 2 lakh rupees or more for a year, but they neglect safety measures for students.
Also Read: Owner and Coordinator of RAU's Coaching Center Taken into Custody!
Delhi's Waterlogging-Related Deaths This Year
On July 22, a UPSC aspirant crossing a waterlogged road grabbed a nearby iron gate to prevent falling. The gate was in contact with live electrical wires, leading to his electrocution. On June 29, two boys drowned near the submerged Siraspur underpass in North West Delhi. On June 28, the onset of monsoon rain caused flood-like conditions across the city. A 60-year-old man drowned in a waterlogged underpass in Okhla Industrial Area on the same day. In North West Delhi’s Shalimar Bagh, a 20-year-old boy drowned in accumulated rainwater in an underpass.
Also Read: MCD Officer Avoids Aaj Tak's Questions on Rau's IAS Coaching Center Incident
Previous Incidents in Coaching Centers
On June 15, 2023, a fire broke out in a UPSC coaching center in North West Delhi’s Mukherjee Nagar, injuring 61 students. Many students used ropes and wires to descend from the building, while some jumped to save their lives. The coaching center lacked an emergency exit or fire safety provisions. On January 25, 2020, in North East Delhi’s Bhajanpura, two roofs of a coaching center collapsed, killing five people, including four students, and injuring 13 others. The coaching center operated in a dilapidated building, causing this fatal incident.
