Students outside Rau’s IAS study circle after the death of three civil services aspirants, iin Rajinder Nagar in New Delhi. File photo
| Photo Credit: SHASHI SHEKHAR KASHYAP
The Central Bureau of Investigation has taken over the probe into the deaths of three Civil Services aspirants at Rau’s IAS Study Circle in Old Rajinder Nagar on July 27.
Three students allegedly died and several were trapped, after a nearby drain burst which led to flooding in the basement of a UPSC coaching institute in Old Rajinder Nagar on July 27
The agency registered the First Information Report following a Delhi High Court directive on August 2, taking into account “the seriousness of incidents and that it may involve corruption by public servants”.
The High Court has also asked the Central Vigilance Commission to appoint a senior official to oversee the CBI investigation in a time-bound manner. The Delhi police were initially conducting the probe.
While issuing the order, the High Court had wondered why the police arrested an SUV driver, who was driving past the institute where the incident took place, instead of the official who did not notice that the stormwater drain in the area was dysfunctional. It also pulled up the police for not questioning any Municipal Corporation of Delhi officials concerned, and not even seizing the relevant documents from the civic body.
The role of the Delhi Fire Services in giving clearance to Rau’s IAS Study Circle has also been called into question.
“How did the children drown? You have done an investigation now…why were they not able to come out of the basement? It doesn’t get flooded immediately. Water takes at least two-three minutes to fill a basement, it can’t happen in a minute,” the Bench had said.
The incident has led to protests by the Civil Services aspirants in the area. On August 5, the Supreme Court also took suo motu cognisance of the drowning of three aspirants.
“We are not sure as to what effective measures have been taken so far by the NCT of Delhi or the Union of India. The recent unfortunate incidents taking away lives of some of the young ones who joined coaching centres for their career pursuits are an eye opener for one and all,” the Supreme Court said.
It has issued for notice to the Centre through the Ministry of Urban Affairs and the Delhi government, asking them to bring on record the safety mechanism in place to prevent such deaths and to ensure that coaching centres in the national capital do not expose young lives to danger.
