Delhi IAS Coaching Centre Deaths: Eyewitness Claims NDRF Arrived At Least An Hour After Flooding

Amid ongoing investigations into the deaths of three UPSC aspirants who drowned in a flooded basement at Rau’s IAS Study Circle in Delhi’s Old Rajender Nagar, an eyewitness has claimed that the National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) arrived at least an hour after the flooding.

The eyewitness, who spoke to News18, arrived at the scene around 7 pm and observed that the basement, which was being used ‘illegally’ as a library, was already inundated with water by the time he got there. He also claimed that the students were still inside the building during the rescue operations.

At that time, the Delhi Fire Service (DFS) was already on site, while the NDRF reportedly arrived at least an hour later, according to the eyewitness.

The eyewitness further described the chaotic scene, noting that the divers encountered difficulties as furniture began to float in the rising water. One by one, the bodies of the three students were recovered from the basement.

The eyewitness also mentioned that the basement frequently experienced water seepage during rains, which led the students and staff to underestimate the situation’s urgency.

Additionally, there were recurring issues with water backflow from toilets, contributing to a lack of immediate action from both students and staff. The situation escalated rapidly, with tons of water accumulating in just a few seconds.

Delhi Court Sends Five Accused To 14-Day Judicial Custody

Delhi’s Tis Hazari Court on Monday remanded five individuals arrested in connection to the case to 14-day judicial custody. The five include four owners of the basement and a driver whose vehicle, navigating through rainwater, contributed to the increased water flow that breached the basement door.

The building, which was inundated, has different owners on each floor, leading to the arrest of the basement owners as well. This brings the total number of individuals in custody to seven, including Rau’s IAS Study Circle owner Abhishek Gupta and coordinator Deshpal Singh, who face charges of culpable homicide among others.