NHRC takes suo motu cognizance of deaths of three students due to drowning at a coaching centre in Delhi

Delhi [India], July 30 (ANI): Days after the death of three UPSC aspirants due to drowning in the flooded basement library of a coaching centre in Delhi, the National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) issued notices on Tuesday to the Delhi Chief Secretary, the Police Commissioner and the MCD Commissioner calling for a detailed report in the matter within two weeks.

NHRC directed to carry out a survey to find the number of such institutes & coaching centres running in violation of the prescribed norms in the national capital and to take action against the negligent officers in failing to check these irregularities

NHRC, India, has taken suo motu cognizance of media reports that 3 students drowned to death in the flooded basement library of a prominent civil services coaching centre in Delhi on Saturday, July 27.

Expressing serious concern over the incident, the Commission has observed that the contents of the news report indicate negligence on the part of the authorities concerned. Earlier, in another incident of authorities’ negligence, a civil services aspirant died due to electrocution while crossing a waterlogged street, of which it had taken suo motu cognizance.

The NHRC directed that the municipal corporation and the law enforcement agencies cannot escape their liability.

Accordingly, notices have been issued to the Chief Secretary, Government of NCT of Delhi, the Commissioner of Police and the Commissioner, Municipal Corporation, to submit a detailed report on the matter within two weeks.

The Delhi Chief Secretary has also been asked to get a thorough survey done to know the exact number of such institutes and coaching centres running in violation of the prescribed norms across Delhi. Every detail of such institutes, including complaints pending against them and action taken by the department concerned, is to be mentioned in the report. The Commission would like to know about the action taken against the responsible public servants who failed to do their lawful duty to check these irregularities.

Apart from this, the Commission has asked the Government of NCT of Delhi to inform them about the compensation paid to the next of kin of the deceased as well as steps taken or proposed to ensure that such tragic incidents do not recur.

“According to the media reports, around 35 students were studying in the library when, suddenly, rainwater started flowing in. This created panic, as it was one thing to wade through waterlogged streets and quite another to have a situation like a dam burst, where one has no means to escape’ the direction reads.

Earlier in the case pertaining to the drowning of the students in the basement of Rau’s IAS coaching centre in Delhi’s Rajinder Nagar, the accused was sent to 14-day judicial custody by the Tis Hazari court on Monday.

Meanwhile, the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) on Monday formed a high-level committee to investigate the flooding in the basement of a coaching institute, which led to three civil service aspirants’ deaths due to drowning in Delhi’s old Rajinder Nagar.

The committee will examine the circumstances surrounding the incident, identify the responsible parties, and recommend measures to prevent such incidents in the future.

The committee will have an Additional Secretary in the Ministry of Housing and Urban Affairs (MoHUA0), a Principal Secretary (Home) of the Delhi Government, a Special Commissioner of the Police (Delhi Police), a Fire Advisor and a Joint Secretary in the MHA as convenors, the spokesperson further said. The committee will submit its report in 30 days.

The incident, which occurred on Saturday after a 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 Rajendra Nagar. The coaching centre was later sealed by the police.