City Desk, Delhi Magazine – In a tragic incident, three UPSC exam aspirants lost their lives after the ground floor of a coaching centre in Old Rajendra Nagar, Delhi, was flooded following heavy rains. The bodies of two female students and one male student were recovered from the site by rescue officials.
BJP Demands Resignation
The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) has held the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) government responsible for the tragedy. Delhi BJP president Virendra Sachdeva and MP Bansuri Swaraj visited the site and criticized the local MLA for ignoring public appeals to clean the drains.
“The criminal negligence of the Delhi government is responsible for this accident. Water Board Minister Atishi and local MLA Durgesh Pathak should take responsibility for the incident and resign from their posts,” Sachdeva stated.
Official Response and Investigation
In response to the incident, Atishi posted on ‘X’ (formerly Twitter), “A magisterial inquiry has been ordered to find out how this incident happened. Whoever is responsible for the incident will not be spared.” She also directed Chief Secretary Naresh Kumar to investigate and submit a report within 24 hours.
दिल्ली में शाम हुई भारी बारिश के कारण एक दुर्घटना की खबर है
राजेंद्र नगर में एक कोचिंग इंस्टीट्यूट की बेसमेंट में पानी भरने के की खबर है
दिल्ली फायर विभाग और NDRF मौके पर है। दिल्ली की मेयर और स्थानीय विधायक भी वहाँ पर हैं। मैं हर मिनट घटना की खबर ले रहीं हूं।
ये घटना कैसे…
— Atishi (@AtishiAAP) July 27, 2024
Rescue operations continued late into the night, with officials working to drain the water, which was still seven feet deep on the ground floor. DCP Harsh Vardhan reported that ropes were used to evacuate the trapped students from a library located on the ground floor, which had filled with water.
Protests and Claims
A group of students protested against the incident, raising slogans and demanding accountability from the officials. BJP leader Manjinder Singh Sirsa claimed that 18 people were still trapped on the ground floor, although there has been no official confirmation of this. Bansuri Swaraj mentioned that divers were called to rescue the students and criticized local MLA Durgesh Pathak for not addressing the drainage issues despite repeated requests from the local residents.
Earlier this week, another civil services aspirant died of electric shock in Patel Nagar after heavy rains. The incident has raised serious concerns about the infrastructure and preparedness of the city to handle heavy rains and flooding.
The BJP has called for the resignation of Atishi and Durgesh Pathak, holding them accountable for the tragic loss of lives. The AAP government, on the other hand, has promised a thorough investigation to ensure justice and prevent such incidents in the future.