Delhi's civic authorities have started using bulldozers to demolish encroachments that were blocking drains and causing waterlogging in Rajinder Nagar area. This comes two days after three IAS aspirants died due to basement flooding, which led to several protests, FIRs and suspension.
A video shared by news agency ANI showed an excavator removing cement blocks that were obstructing the drains.
Students protesting the three deaths criticized civic authorities for their negligence, viewing the bulldozer action as inadequate and delayed. "This is just for show," one protester said.
The Municipal Corporation of Delhi is facing severe criticism for the deaths of two 25-year-old women and a 28-year-old man who were trapped in the basement library of Rau's IAS Study Circle in Rajinder Nagar. The library was operating against the rules, as the civic body had only permitted it for parking and storage.
Delhi Police have apprehended five more people linked to the drowning deaths of three civil service aspirants in the flooded basement of a coaching centre in Rajinder Nagar. This brings the total number of arrests to seven.
Among those arrested are the owners of the basement and an individual whose vehicle, seen passing by the coaching centre, allegedly sent a large wave of water crashing into the institute's gate during the heavy rains, according to police.
The owner and coordinator of Rau's IAS Study Circle were also arrested on Sunday. They face charges of culpable homicide, negligence, and more, and have been sent to judicial custody.
Around 20 students were reportedly present in the library when heavy rain occurred which further caused severe flooding. The basement, which had only one entry and exit, was quickly flooded and that according to several reports disabled the biometric system, trapping the students inside. While 17 were rescued, three drowned. The victims, Tanya Soni, Shreya Yadav, and Navin Dalwin, have been identified. The incident has led to huge outrage, with students blaming civic authorities for neglect, despite prior warnings about drain blockages and encroachments potentially causing such a disaster.
The civic body has shut down 13 IAS coaching centres for breaking building rules. Delhi Mayor Shelly Oberoi has also called for an investigation to determine if any MCD officials were involved in the negligence.