Student Deaths- Rau’s IAS Study Circle Basement Was Illegally Used As A Library

The IAS aspirants on Monday continued with their protest against the Municipal Corporation of Delhi (MCD) and management of Rau’s IAS Study Circle, a coaching centre in Delhi’s Old Rajendra Place after three students died due to flooding of the basement.

On Sunday three Union Public Service Commission (UPSC) aspirants died due to flooding of the centre’s basement. This tragic incident sparked public outrage and forced the authorities to look into the matter.

The owner and the coordinator of the Rau's IAS Study Circle, and five others have been arrested and booked for culpable homicide and other charges. Police is likely question MCD officials

Meanwhile, the MCD sealed seven properties and five basements for violating building bye-laws in Karol Bagh Zone.

Areas like Karol Bagh and Mukherjee Nagar are the hub of students, including UPSC aspirants, who come from different parts of the country for preparations.

The deceased identified as Shreya Yadav from Uttar Pradesh, Tanya Soni from Telangana and Navin Dalwin from Kerala died when the basement of Rau’s IAS Study Circle, being used as a library, was flooded due to rains in the capital on Saturday evening.

The basement at the Rau’s IAS Study Circle coaching centre was being illegally used for commercial activity, senior civic functionaries said, citing a completion and occupancy certificate issued by the Municipal Corporation of Delhi on August 9, 2021, which said that the basement could only be used for parking or household storage.

Mayor Shelly Oberoi said that the coaching centre was “running a library in the basement illegally” even as “library or other commercial activity was not allowed in its basement.”

However, the problem of illegal use of basements as libraries and other commercial activities is rampant across Karol Bagh-Rajendra Nagar, locals and students said on Sunday.

MCD, in an official statement, said: “Use of basement for reading hall/library was not allowed”, adding it sealed three properties for such violations in the Karol Bagh zone on Sunday.

With cramped spaces, students are forced to live in difficult situations due to coaching centres being there.

Speaking to The Citizen, Ashish, a UPSC aspirant, said that while whatever happened was sad and depressing, students rely on institutions like Rau.

“What happened was sad and depressing but there are many who are dependent on Rau for their upcoming mains preparation every day. For UPSC each minute counts,” he said.

The UPSC aspirant added that those responsible must be punished and not the students. “Punish the people responsible, make an example out of them but do not forget about other aspirants,” he added.

The protesting students, however, have shared their outrage over the living conditions and the illegal constructions.

Since the incident it has been revealed that a complaint was filed with the MCD regarding the alleged illegal use of the basement.

A civil services aspirant, Kishor Singh Kushwah, filed the complaint against the coaching centre on June 26. Meanwhile, reminders were sent to the civic body on July 15 and July 22. “Despite not having permission, they (Rau’s) are running a classroom without NOC in the basement; they are running test classes, which are affecting the lives of students and staff.

“There is a possibility of a major accident… big UPSC coaching institutes are running classes at illegal places by putting the lives of the students at risk,” Kushwah stated in his complaint.

In the reminder on July 15, he wrote, “Sir, it is a very important and urgent issue, take strict action”. In his second reminder, five days before the students drowned, Kushwah pleaded for intervention, writing,

“Sir please take action … It’s an issue of student safety.” No action, however, was taken in the days that followed. “Under process”, reads the “current status” of the online complaint.

Meanwhile, the Ministry of Home Affairs has established a committee to investigate the tragic incident. The committee will identify causes, assign responsibility, recommend measures, and propose policy changes, submitting its report within 30 days. The Delhi Police have arrested five people in the case, including the owner of the basement.

On the other hand, Delhi Lieutenant Governor (LG) has assured that action will be taken against the responsible officials from the Delhi Fire Services, police, and the MCD within the next 24 hours.

The LG’s office has also announced a compensation of Rs 10 lakh for the families of the deceased, the PTI reported.

Meanwhile, Lok Sabha members cutting across party lines on Monday demanded an inquiry into the tragic incident, with the BJP blaming the city's AAP government for the tragic incident. Rajya Sabha is also discussing the matter.

Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leader and New Delhi Lok Sabha MP Bansuri Swaraj blamed the Aam Aadmi Party's "utter apathy" for the death of the students and demanded that an inquiry committee under the Home Ministry be set up to probe the incident.

According to rough estimates, there are over 1,000 coaching centres in Delhi. The MCD conducted a survey of coaching centres after a massive fire broke out last year at one centre in Mukherjee Nagar, which is also home to hundreds of such institutes.

Student unions like AISA and JNUSU have also reached the protest site to extend their solidarity and demanded an investigation into the matter.