Delhi coaching centre tragedy: Heads roll in MCD, ‘bulldozer action’ begins in Old Rajinder Nagar

Chandigarh, July 29

Cracking the whip after three IAS aspirants died at a coaching centre, the MCD terminated an officer and suspended another as well as launched an anti-encroachment drive in the Old Rajinder Nagar area here 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 were killed on Saturday after its basement was flooded due to rain, has already been sealed by police.

A junior engineer has been terminated and an assistant engineer suspended in connection with the deaths at the coaching centre, said MCD Commissioner Ashwani Kumar.

The two officials are part of the maintenance department of the Karol Bagh Zone, he said.

The contract of the junior engineer “is hereby terminated with immediate effect”. The assistant engineer “will be paid subsistence allowance during the suspension period”, an official order said.

The officers’ termination and suspension orders will be released soon, sources said.

Meanwhile, the MCD launched an anti-encroachment drive in Old Rajinder Nagar to remove illegal structures covering storm drains in the area which leads to waterlogging.

Security was beefed up in Karol Bagh as MCD began ‘bulldozer action’ against encroachments.

Video showed bulldozers put into action to remove encroachment over drains in Delhi’s Old Rajinder Nagar. 

#WATCH | Earth movers put into action to remove encroachment over drains in Delhi’s Old Rajinder Nagar after the incident of death of 3 UPSC aspirants due to drowning in an IAS coaching institute pic.twitter.com/NR6sjw5a7b

— ANI (@ANI) July 29, 2024

Meanwhile, Lok Sabha members cutting across party lines on Monday demanded an inquiry into the death of three civil services aspirants, with the BJP blaming the city’s AAP government for the tragic incident.

SP MP Akhilesh Yadav said that the incident is tragic and there should be thorough investigation to ascertain who is responsible for what has happened to the students.

“In Uttar Pradesh, bulldozer is run over illegal buildings. I want to know if bulldozers will be run here also,” Yadav said.

BJP leader and New Delhi Lok Sabha MP Bansuri Swaraj blamed the AAP’s “utter apathy” for the death of the students and demanded that an inquiry committee under the Home Ministry be set up to probe the incident.

“Criminal negligence of the Aam Aadmi Party has led to the death of these students. An inquiry should be set up on the Delhi Government which is neck deep in corruption. Why are the drains not being cleaned in Delhi?” she asked during the Zero Hour.

Officials have said an absence of drainage system and safety measures, and use of basement for commercial activities in violation of norms led to the death of three civil services aspirants at the coaching centre.

Congress MP from Thiruvananthapuram Shashi Tharoor said there has been a violation in the safety codes, and demanded compensation for the families. He said that drains have to be cleaned and steps taken to prevent recurrence of such incidents. Tharoor demanded a comprehensive inquiry on the matter.

The Delhi Police on Sunday arrested the owner and the coordinator of the coaching centre — Rau’s IAS Study Circle — and booked them for culpable homicide and other charges.

 with inputs from PTI/ANI