Three students trapped for over four hours after water entered a basement at Rau's IAS Study Circle in West Delhi have died, according to police. The incident occurred in Rajendra Nagar on Saturday evening, flooding the basement where the students were studying.
Visuals from the scene showed the basement completely submerged. The Delhi Fire Department received a call about the trapped students at 7:19 pm and dispatched five fire engines for rescue operations. The bodies of two female students were recovered hours after the rescue began, while the body of a male student was recovered later that night.
Deputy Commissioner of Police (Central Delhi) M Harshavardhan stated, "The bodies have been sent to the hospital for further legal action. Rescue operations are still underway. The water is being pumped out. There is still about 7 feet of water in the basement. I request the student community to not come here and hamper the rescue services."
Delhi Fire Chief Atul Garg mentioned that efforts are ongoing to find anyone else possibly trapped. Initial reports suggested three students were trapped, while 30 others managed to escape the flooded basement.
This tragedy follows closely on the heels of another incident in West Delhi, where a UPSC aspirant was electrocuted while trying to cross a waterlogged street in Patel Nagar.
Delhi Public Works Department Minister Atishi, in a post on X, confirmed that the flooding occurred after heavy rain. Local AAP MLA Durgesh Pathak and Mayor Shelly Oberoi have reached the coaching centre. Atishi has called for a magisterial inquiry and demanded a report within 24 hours, stating, "Anyone found guilty will not be spared."
BJP MP Bansuri Swaraj criticized the AAP government, blaming them for the avoidable tragedy. She stated, "Dedicated BJP workers repeatedly asked Durgesh Pathak to ensure that the sewers in this area are cleaned and de-silted. If that had been done, this tragedy would not have happened."
MLA Durgesh Pathak responded, claiming that a drain or sewer explosion caused the flooding and accused BJP councillors of neglecting drain construction during their 15-year tenure in the Municipal Corporation of Delhi. He emphasized that the current focus should be on saving the students rather than engaging in political blame games.
Meanwhile, the Delhi Police has registered a criminal case in the flooding incident at a UPSC coaching centre in Old Rajinder Nagar which led to the death of three civil service aspirants including two female students.
Rescue operations continue as authorities pump out the remaining water from the basement.
