'No Need to Panic:' Delhi Coaching Centre Tragedy Survivor Recalls Last Words of Tanya Soni

New Delhi: Days after surviving the horrific flooding at the basement of Rau's IAS Study circle which claimed the lives of three UPSC aspirants in Delhi, a survivor recalled his classmate and victim Tanya Soni's last words while they were struggling with the rising water level.

Tanya Soni was among the three students who were killed in the flooding.

Recalling their last moments together, Rishabh Pal (21) told news agency PTI that Tanya asked him to not panic during chaos due to flooding.

He added that he would forever feel guilty for not being able to save his batchmates rom the tragedy, PTI reported.

The other two deceased include Shreya Yadav (25) and Nevin Dalwin (28).

It has come to light that the library at the basement was being operated illegally as the coaching centre had permission to use the basement only as a storage facility, but it was turned into a library.

A resident of Ghaziabad, Pal said around 15 students managed to escape from the basement, but around 15 more were stuck there.

Recounting the horror, he said within three to four minutes, the over 13-foot-high library was went inside water.

"Tanya, who was my batchmate, said there was no need to panic, and we would be saved. She also suggested forming a human chain. We tried forming a chain, but due to the flow of water we could not hold on," PTI quoted him as saying.

He added that as the water started filling in, he climbed the stairs and was pulled up by a staff member. He recalled that both Tanya and Shreya were standing on a table in the library the last time he saw them.

"Behind me, my friend Jaideep and a few others came out. Then, the staff members of our institute brought a rope to pull the others who were stuck in the water," he told PTI. Rishabh said that he didn't notice Nevin in the library.

Hailing the quick response the employees, Rishabh said had they not acted swiftly, the number of causalities would have been more.

Dismissing the reports, he said there were no biometric locks in any part of the building. He also alleged delays on the part of reponse teams who received the distress calls.

"The NDRF officials who came at about 10 pm told us that they could not do anything as they did not have any equipment," he further said.

As of now, seven people, including the owner and the coordinator of the centre, have been arrested in connection with the case. More details are awaited.