It's been over a week since the drowning of three UPSC aspirants in the basement library of RAU’s IAS Study Circle in Old Rajender Nagar, Delhi. The area has since become the epicentre of ongoing protests and today, August 3, marks its seventh day. Let's take a closer look at what has happened so far.
- Heavy rainfall in Delhi led to severe waterlogging in Old Rajender Nagar.
- The basement of RAU’s IAS Study Circle, where several students were present, gets flooded.
- Tragically, three students – Tania Soni (25), Shreya Yadav (25), and Navin Delvin (28) – drowned. Their bodies were recovered early the next morning.
- Protests erupted, with demands for accountability and clarity on the number of deaths, which some claim are higher than reported.
- Students demand that the CCTV footage of RAU’s library be made public.
- The owner of the coaching centre, Abhishek Gupta, and the coordinator, Deshpal Singh, were arrested and charged with culpable homicide and negligence.
- Initial investigations revealed the coaching centre violated building norms by using the basement as a library, contrary to the No Objection Certificate (NOC) that stipulated it should be used only for storage.
- Student unions and organisations join the protests.
- Manuj Kathuria arrested for driving his Force Gurkha through a flooded street, causing the water to breach the gates of the building and flood the basement. He was sent to 14-day judicial custody on charges of culpable homicide.
- The Delhi Fire Service criticised the coaching centre for flouting safety norms, noting that the basement being eight feet below ground level exacerbated the flooding risk.
- Protests continued, with students demanding better safety regulations and accountability from authorities and coaching centres.
- SUV driver Manuj Kathuria was granted bail by a sessions court in Delhi, with the court noting that the accused was “implicated in over-enthusiasm” in the case.
- The MCD seal coaching centres operating in violation of building by-laws.
- Since Sunday, a total of 29 such basements have faced action. The affected centres in Old Rajinder Nagar included IAS Gurukul Tathastu, Officers IAS Academy, ForumIAS, Psyche World IAS, Sanchetna IAS, Prisha IAS, Path Academy, and Drishti IAS. The drive was also conducted in Mukherjee Nagar and Rajinder Nagar.
- Multiple coaching institutes, including Vajiram and Ravi, Drishti IAS, NEXT IAS, and SRIRAM's IAS, announced a compensation of Rs 10 lakh each for the families of the deceased students and offered free classes and other facilities to displaced students.
- However, protesting students criticised these offers as attempts to divert attention from core issues of safety and regulation.
- RAU’s IAS Study Circle offered Rs 50 lakh to each victim's family. Advocate Mohit Saraf stated that Rs 25 lakh would be paid immediately and the rest within six months once financial arrangements are met.
- Drishti IAS and SRIRAM's IAS also offered compensation of Rs 10 lakh to Nilesh Rai, another UPSC aspirant who was electrocuted in Patel Nagar on 22 July.
- Civil Services aspirants continued protesting, calling the compensation a gimmick to dilute the issue.
- The Delhi High Court criticised the police for arresting Manuj Kathuria, questioning why no MCD officials have been questioned or relevant files seized, which could be crucial evidence.
- High Court transfers case to CBI.
- SUV driver Manuj Kathuria was released from Tihar Jail following his bail grant by Tis Hazari Court.
- Protests continue with students demanding legislative action to ensure safety in all coaching centres and proper accountability for the deaths.
