The Delhi government on Monday ordered a magisterial inquiry into the death of three civil services aspirants at the Rau’s IAS Study Circle, a UPSC coaching centre in Old Rajinder Nagar.
Three UPSC aspirants – Shreya Yadav of Uttar Pradesh’s Ambedkar Nagar, Tanya Soni from Telangana, and Navin Dalwin from Ernakulam in Kerala – have died after the basement of the building housing the coaching centre Rau’s IAS Study Circle was flooded following heavy on the evening of Saturday, July 27.
Highly placed sources the Delhi government told Firstpost that the Chief Secretary of government of NCT of Delhi on Monday said, “… a Magisterial Inquiry was ordered by Additional Chief Secretary (Revenue) dated 28.07.2024, wherein the District Magistrate (Central)/ Chairman, District Disaster Management Authority has been directed to (i) ascertain the cause of incident of water flooding; (ii) fix the responsibility on the persons responsible for the incident; and (iii) suggest the measures to prevent recurrence of such incidents in future, & submit a report by 29.07.2024 (05:00 PM).”
“Additional Chief Secretary (Revenue) has provided the interim report dated 29.07.2024,” the Delhi government said in its order, the copy of which has been accessed by the Firstpost.
The Delhi government order also said that a report has also been sought from the Municipal Corporation of Delhi (MCD) as the concerned road belongs to them.
On Monday evening, Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) leader and Delhi minister Atishi lashed out at Chief Secretary Naresh Kumar over delay in filing the inquiry report in the recent basement coaching centre deaths.
“A report by the magisterial committee was to be submitted yo the office within 24 hours. However, to am shocked to note that despite almost 40 hours having passed, I am yet to receive any official report or information from the Chief Secretary on the incident,” Atishi said in a letter Delhi Chief Secretary.
“This raises very serious questions. Either the officers of GNCTD are not serious about enquiring into this tragedy, or they are trying to protect someone. Such delays cannot be tolerated. The Chief Secretary is again directed to submit the magisterial enquiry report on the incident by 10 pm today (July 29),” she further wrote in a letter to the official.
“Suggest strongest possible action that needs to be taken against those officials whose negligence has caused this tragic accident,” Atishi said.
Delhi LG announces Rs 10 lakh compensation
Meanwhile, Delhi Lieutenant Governor VK Saxena on Monday announced a compensation of Rs 10 lakh each for the families of three civil services aspirants who have died due to flooding at the coaching centre.
As per a Raj Niwas statement, LG Saxena, who met the students protesting over the tragic incident, also assured action against responsible officials of Delhi Fire Services(DFS), police, and MCD within 24 hours.
A compensation of Rs 10 lakh has been announced, the statement said.
A Joint Task Force of MCD and DFS, constituted under the order of the Delhi High Court in the fire incident at a coaching centre at Mukherjee Nagar earlier this year, will also undertake a survey of all buildings in Rajinder Nagar area, it said.
MHA forms panel to probe into deaths of UPSC aspirants
The Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA), on Monday evening, has formed a committee to inquire into the deaths of three UPSC aspirants.
The committee will inquire into the reasons, fix responsibility, suggest measures and recommend policy changes.
Five accused arrested, sent to police custody
The Delhi police on Monday arrested five accused including four co-owners of property – Tejinder Singh, Parvinder Singh, Harvinder Singh and Sarabjeet Singh – and the driver of an SUV – Manuj Kathuria – that passed through the flooded road in Delhi where three UPSC aspirants died due to drowning at a coaching centre.
They were later presented before Tis Hazari Court which has sent to 14-day judicial custody.
“Negligence has been established on the part of the arrested driver, who has been arrested in the Old Rajender Nagar case. He was driving the vehicle very fast, due to which the gate of the coaching centre broke,” DCP (Central) M Harshvardhan said.
“Before he hit the building gate, a street vendor had tried to stop him,” he further said.
The driver was identified by the police after videos of his vehicle passing through the flooded road went viral on social media.
With inputs from agencies
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Exclusive: Delhi govt orders magisterial inquiry into 3 UPSC aspirants’ deaths
