Yes, you heard it right, a tragic basement flooding at Delhi UPSC Coaching Centre claims three young lives. Just think for a moment about the immense grief that has befallen the parents who believed their child was safely studying in a library at a coaching centre, only to find out their child lost their life, trapped in a flooded basement. These were UPSC aspirants, potential future IAS and IPS officers, who dreamt of serving the nation.
In a heart-wrenching incident on Saturday evening, three students tragically lost their lives as rainwater flooded the library basement at Rau’s IAS coaching centre in Old Rajender Nagar, central Delhi. Among the 30 students present, 27 managed to escape or were rescued, but two female students and one male student were trapped in the basement and could not be saved.
A desperate and coordinated rescue effort involving the NDRF, fire brigade, and police began immediately. By 10:30 pm, the body of one of the girls was recovered by NDRF divers, followed by the second girl’s body at 11:15 pm, and the male student’s body was found after midnight. The police have filed an FIR for causing death due to negligence under the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita sections.
The flooding turned the basement of Rau’s IAS coaching centre into a deadly trap. Students described the scenario as “horrific,” with some recalling similar flooding conditions from a week prior when the street was waist-deep in rainwater. The force of the water was so intense that it caused the gate of the building to collapse, allowing water to surge into the basement library.
UPS aspirant Shikha Bhardwaj, 29, recounted the terrifying moment, “The force of the water was so intense that the gate of the building collapsed, and water surged into the basement where the library is located.” Another student added, “Due to the heavy rain and waterlogged roads, some people were stuck at the centre after class.” Shashank Sharma, 22, a student at Vision IAS, criticized the poor safety measures, saying, “These institutes charge us Rs 2 lakh in fees, yet no safety measures are taken.” His frustration was echoed by many others present.
Harsh Deshmukh, 23, from Maharashtra, pointed out the persistent drainage problems in the area, saying, “We are accustomed to it, but now it has reached the institutes and is becoming a safety hazard.”
As the tragedy unfolded, the coaching centre building was barricaded, an ambulance was on-site, and efforts were underway to pump water out of the basement. Some students and a representative of the coaching centre suggested that a speeding car exacerbated the situation by causing water to flood into the building.
The incident has sparked widespread outrage and highlighted the urgent need for improved safety measures and better infrastructure in the area to prevent such incidents in the future.
Delhi BJP president Virendra Sachdeva blamed the Delhi government for the incident, alleging that similar occurrences, including electrocution deaths, have become common. Bansuri Swaraj, MP from New Delhi, criticized area MLA Durgesh Pathak, claiming the public had been urging him to clear the drains for the past week. “If the drains had been de-silted, rainwater wouldn’t have accumulated,” she said, noting that the basement furniture was floating in the water. She expressed sorrow over the loss of young lives, emphasizing that the victims were IAS aspirants pursuing bright futures.
This tragic event underscores the dire need for accountability and urgent action to ensure such a catastrophe never happens again. The loss of these promising young lives has left a deep scar on the community and serves as a painful reminder of the critical importance of safety and preparedness in urban infrastructure.