Delhi basement deaths spark massive students' protest, AAP-BJP blame game
New Delhi: The death of three civil service aspirants due to waterlogging in the basement of a coaching centre at Rajendra Nagar has ignited massive protests by students. Paramilitary forces have been deployed to manage the situation as students accuse municipal authorities of negligence.
The incident took place at a building housing Rau's IAS Study Circle, a prominent coaching institute for civil service aspirants. The institute's library, located in the basement, flooded following a downpour yesterday, trapping at least 20 students.
Deputy Commissioner of Police (Central) M Harshavardhan stated that a criminal case has been registered. "Our forensic teams are here. We are committed to a proper investigation and finding the truth. Two people have been detained," he said.
"NDRF has recovered three bodies so far. One final search round is ongoing. Three students have been sent to the hospital and 13-14 others were rescued and are fine," he added.
Protesting students have strongly criticized civic authorities. "If this is the situation after 30 minutes of rain, who is responsible? No one has come to talk to us or given us any assurance. Who will fix responsibility?" a protester demanded.
Some students claimed that the "main culprits" are MCD and the institute's director. "MCD calls it a disaster, but I say this is negligence. Knee-deep water gathers in half an hour of rain," a student told news agency ANI.
The three victims have been identified as Tania Soni, Shreya Yadav, both 25, and Navin Delvin, 28.
Delhi Mayor Shelly Oberoi has termed the incident "very shocking" and called for a "thorough investigation" and “strongest possible action." She has ordered action against all coaching centres under MCD that are running commercial activities in basements in violation of laws. An inquiry has been ordered to identify any MCD officers responsible for the Rajendra Nagar incident.
In the aftermath of the tragedy, the BJP launched a scathing attack on the Aam Aadmi Party government in Delhi, which also controls the MCD. "This is a failure of the government and municipal corporation. This is the most insensitive government ever in this country. This is murder," BJP spokesperson Manjinder Singh Sirsa told NDTV.
The BJP has targeted Delhi Minister Atishi and local MLA Durgesh Pathak. Delhi BJP chief Virendra Sachdeva alleged that Pathak ignored repeated appeals by local residents to get drains cleaned. "Delhi Government's criminal negligence is responsible for this mishap. Jal Board Minister Atishi and local MLA Durgesh Pathak should take responsibility and resign," he said.
Pathak countered the BJP's attack by questioning their actions over the past 15 years. "This is a low-lying area and there is a water line here. Some drain has cracked and that led to the flooding. The teams are doing their work," he told news agency ANI.
"The BJP must answer too. For the past 15 years, this area had a BJP councillor. Why was the drain not made? All drains cannot be made in one year. Politics must not be done in this case," he added.
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Double-decker electric bus gutted in fire at Kurla BEST depot
Mumbai (PTI): An empty double-decker electric bus was gutted in a fire during servicing at a BEST depot in Mumbai's Kurla area on Sunday, officials said, adding that nobody was injured.
The blaze broke out inside the Kurla BEST bus depot near Kanakia Building at 4.14 pm, according to preliminary information from the Mumbai Fire Brigade.
The parked bus was unoccupied at the time of the incident.
Fire brigade personnel rushed to the spot and brought the blaze under control. The exact cause of the fire was yet to be ascertained, they said.
No injuries were reported in the incident, officials added.
The Brihanmumbai Electricity Supply and Transport (BEST) Undertaking has hired 50 electric double-decker buses from Switch Mobility in its fleet of around 2,700 buses.
