5 Arrested in Delhi Coaching Centre Tragedy: 14-Day Custody

5 Arrested in Delhi Coaching Centre Deaths Case Sent to 14-Day Judicial Custody

Delhi Police have arrested five additional people in connection with the tragic deaths of three civil service aspirants who drowned in a flooded basement at a coaching centre in Old Rajinder Nagar. This brings the total number of arrests in the case to seven.

Recent Arrests and Developments

The five newly arrested individuals were produced in Tis Hazari Court and have been remanded to 14-day judicial custody. Among those arrested are four co-owners of the property, as well as the driver of a Force Gurkha vehicle seen driving through the waterlogged street, causing water to surge into the coaching centre and damage its gate.

The tragedy occurred when heavy rains flooded the basement of Rau’s IAS Study Circle, an unauthorized library. The deceased were Shreya Yadav from Uttar Pradesh, Tanya Soni from Telangana, and Navin Dalwin from Kerala.

Police and Municipal Response

Delhi Police have taken strict action, including bulldozer operations to clear encroachments near the coaching centre, following approval from the authorities. A notice has been issued to the Municipal Corporation of Delhi (MCD), seeking documents related to the area’s drainage system and inquiring about the responsible officials.

Police have also questioned municipal officials about the maintenance of the drainage system and have named them in the FIR. A video showing the SUV driving through the flooded road, which damaged the coaching centre’s gate, has gone viral, highlighting the severity of the incident.

Public and Government Reaction

The Delhi government has initiated action against coaching institutes operating in basements. Thirteen such centres have been sealed, and the Delhi Fire Service is inspecting the building’s structure and its illegal use as a library. The absence of a proper drainage system, safety violations at the centre, and illegal operations have been cited as contributing factors to the deaths.

Protests have erupted outside the coaching centre, with students demanding justice. The Delhi Police have deployed paramilitary forces and additional police to maintain order in Old Rajinder Nagar.

Ongoing Investigation

Delhi Police have registered an FIR and formed multiple teams to investigate the tragedy. A magisterial inquiry has been ordered by the Delhi government to probe the incident further. Security has been heightened in the affected area as public outrage grows over the preventable deaths.