Vikas Divyakirti's Drishti IAS Sealed After Death of 3 UPSC Aspirants in Delhi's Old Rajinder Nagar

New Delhi: Days after the recent deaths of 3 UPSC aspirants in Delhi's Old Rajinder Nagar, the Municipal Corporation of Delhi (MCD) sealed the basement of the Drishti IAS coaching institute in Mukherjee Nagar for violating building regulations. According to the MCD, the basement, which should be used solely for storage, was being used for conducting coaching classes at the institute (Drishti IAS) run by educator Vikas Divyakirti. 

Besides, Drishti IAS, the basements of other coaching centers, including Vajiram and Ravi and SriRam IAS, have also been sealed. Over the past two days, the MCD has shut down the basements of eight coaching institutes.

Protest outside Drishti IAS coaching centre

Meanwhile, a protest erupted outside the Drishti IAS coaching centre in North West Delhi's Mukherjee Nagar after the Municipal Corporation of Delhi (MCD) sealed its basement. Hundreds of students gathered to protest, with several videos circulating on social media showing them chanting "We want justice" and marching to the coaching centre.

Action is being taken against establishments illegally using basements in the area”, an MCD official said, adding that a similar drive will later be carried out across the city against establishments operating illegally from basements. 

A UPSC aspirant studying at one of the coaching centres in Mukharji Nagar said libraries at most of the centres have been closed after the Saturday incident. "I have to appear for UPSC Mains in one and a half months and the library at my centre has been closed. My books and all the preparation materials are inside the library and now I am not allowed to collect my books," the student said.

"We got a message on Sunday night, saying we should collect our books, etc. from the library by 6 am today. I was sleeping so how was I supposed to collect them by morning? Most students here are preparing for UPSC Mains," the student added.

The MCD terminated an officer and suspended another as well as launched an anti-encroachment drive to remove illegal structures covering storm drains which led to waterlogging in the Old Rajinder Nagar area on Monday.

On Sunday, the civic body had sealed 13 illegal coaching centres in the area. Rau's IAS Study Circle, where the three students died on Saturday, has already been sealed by police. For the unversed, three civil services aspirants died after a library housed in the basement of their coaching centre, Rau's IAS Study Circle got inundated following heavy rain and reportedly led to the failure of the single biometric entry and exit point. 

Centre Forms Panel to Probe Deaths

The Union Home Ministry on Monday constituted a high-level committee, headed by an Additional Secretary, to probe the death of three IAS aspirants.

The committee will inquire into the reasons, fix responsibility, suggest measures and recommend policy changes, a home ministry spokesperson said .

Apart from the Additional Secretary of the Ministry of Housing and Urban Affairs, the committee will have a Principal Secretary (Home) of the Delhi government, a Special CP of Delhi Police and Fire Advisor as members and a Joint Secretary in the home ministry as the Convener.

The committee will submit its report in 30 days.