Delhi Coaching Centre Tragedy: Protestors Demand Rs 1 crore Compensation for Victims’ Families

New Delhi: Hundreds of students in the national capital held a protest demanding justice for the three UPSC aspirants who lost their lives due to flooding in the basement of the IAS Coaching Centre in old Rajendra Nagar. They have raised certain demands with authorities including Rs 1 crore compensation each to be provided to the families of the victims.

What Are the Demands Made by Protestors

• Rs 1 Crore compensation should be provided to the family of the victims
• Authorities should officially declare the exact number of casualties in the incident
• All commercial establishments operating from basements in the area be identified and shuttered. 

The distressing event that occurred on Saturday evening has alarmed students, who are now calling for accountability from the authorities for their perceived negligence.

The victims who died in the incident were identified as Shreya Yadav, a native of Ambedkar Nagar district of Uttar Pradesh, Tanya Soni from Telangana; and Nivin Dalwin, a resident of Kerala's Ernakulam.

Meanwhile, two arrested accused have been sent to 14 days of judicial custody. 

The owner and coordinator of Rau's IAS Study Circle were Arrested hours after the bodies of students were recovered from the flooded basement of the coaching center in Central Delhi's Old Rajinder Nagar. According to the available information, a case was registered under Sections 105, 106(1), 115/2, 290 and 35 of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS) in connection to the incident. 

After the tragic incident in a coaching centre in Old Rajinder Nagar yesterday MCD has sealed 3 such basements in the area. 

What Student Protestor Says

Yuvraj, a UPSC aspirant, criticised both the MCD and the coaching institute for negligence, stating. 

 "MCD is responsible... they did not ensure safety measures. Both MCD and RAU's IAS are at fault, they should be held jointly liable. We have been protesting since last night but no higher authority has spoken to us yet. We expect that the death toll may be higher," Yuvraj was quoted as saying to news agency ANI.

Another UPSC aspirant, Aman Shukla emphasized that the "illegal" operation of libraries in basements should be stopped.

"We demand that firstly, all these illegally operating libraries in basements be shut down. MCD should address the issue immediately. Last time when it rained, cars were floating. In one year, they haven't done anything... no senior official has visited this place till now," Shukla said.

Another student criticised the response to the incident, "MCD calls it a disaster but I say this is negligence. Knee-deep water gathers in half an hour of rain. My landlord has been asking the councillor for days to clean the drain... Our immediate demand is transparency in the number of injuries and deaths."

Slamming the AAP government, Delhi BJP Chief Virendra Sachdeva said that the corruption in Municipal Corporation of Delhi should be inquired.

"There should be an inquiry into the corruption of Arvind Kejriwal, Atishi and their government. Delhi Municipal Corporation's corruption should be inquired. There should be an inquiry as to why the drainage was not cleaned. Will they order an inquiry into this?" he said.