New Delhi: Three students died after being trapped in the flooded basement of a coaching center in Delhi’s Old Rajendra Nagar.
The students were in the basement of a building where the coaching center had a library. Heavy rains caused sudden flooding.
The incident happened late on Saturday at Rau’s IAS Study Circle on Bada Bazar Marg. The Delhi Fire Services (DFS) received a call about the incident at 7 PM. Deputy Commissioner of Police (central) Harsha Vardhan said the three students included two women and one man. Their bodies were recovered early on Sunday.
A senior police officer identified the deceased as Taniya Soni, Shreya Yadav, and Naveen Dalvin, aged between 25 and 30.
Police stated that around 30 students were inside the coaching center when it started flooding. While 13 to 14 students were rescued and taken to the hospital, others managed to escape.
DCP Vardhan explained that the basement flooded due to waterlogging from the heavy rain. The dark basement made rescue efforts difficult. He mentioned that the flooding seemed to have happened very quickly.
In response, Delhi Mayor Shelly Oberoi has ordered action against coaching centers operating in basements. Oberoi directed the Municipal Corporation of Delhi (MCD) Commissioner to take action against such centers.
The orders from Oberoi came shortly after the tragic incident. Additionally, Delhi minister Atishi ordered an immediate investigation. She instructed the Chief Secretary to conduct a magisterial inquiry and submit a report within 24 hours. Atishi emphasized that those responsible for the incident would face consequences.
