Three UPSC aspirants’ deaths: Students’ protest against facilities at coaching centres enters 7th day

New Delhi [India], August 3 (ANI): The protest of civil services aspirants against the deaths of three students at a coaching cetre in Delhi’s Old Rajinder Nagar area continued for the seventh day on Saturday.

The students have been protesting since July 27, when three civil services aspirants lost their lives in the basement of Rau’s Rau’s IAS Circle after rainwater gushed into it.

A UPSC aspirant and one of the protestors, Ashwini, said that they want clarity through the institute regarding the actual number of casualties in the incident.

“We want clarity through the institute and CCTV footage regarding the actual number of casualties, the number of deaths, and those who were injured,” Ashwini Kumar told ANI.

Another student, Shivam, however, alleged that every party wants to politicise the issue.

“Every party here wants to politicise the issue. The Municipal Commissioner has not yet provided accountability regarding the drainage system; the drainage system remains the same. So, who will be held accountable for this?” Shivam told ANI.

The protests follow the deaths of three civil services aspirants after a basement library at Rau’s IAS Circle was flooded during heavy rain on July 27 in Old Rajinder Nagar, reportedly causing damage to the single biometric entry and exit point of the basement.

The incident claimed the lives of two women students, Shreya Yadav (Uttar Pradesh) and Tanya Soni (Telangana), and Nivin Dalwin (Kerala), in the basement of the institute.

Students enrolled in various coaching institutes in the area have been protesting since the incident, demanding improved safety measures in the centres.

The Delhi High Court on Friday transferred the investigation case pertaining to the deaths of three UPSC aspirants in Old Rajinder Nagar to the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI).

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.”

So far, Delhi police has arrested seven people, including the owner and coordinator of the coaching centre, in connection with the incident and charged them with culpable homicide, among other charges.

Delhi’s Tis Hazari court on Thursday granted bail to Manuj Kathuria, the SUV driver, in connection with the incident.

It was alleged that he drove his vehicle in a rash and negligent manner that caused water to enter the basement of Rau’s IAS Circle.

The MCD has sealed the basements of several coaching centres in the area, since the three civil services aspirants’ deaths.

According to MCD officials, using basements for commercial purposes is a violation of building bye-laws.