MHA forms committee to probe deaths of IAS aspirants in Delhi flooding: Report in 30 days

In response to the tragic deaths of three civil services aspirants at a coaching centre in Delhi's Rajinder Nagar, the Union Home Ministry announced on Monday the formation of a committee tasked with investigating the incident, which occurred during severe flooding at Rau's IAS Study Circle last week.

The committee's mandate includes probing the circumstances that led to the flooding, determining accountability and recommending measures and policy changes to prevent similar incidents in the future.

"MHA has constituted a committee to inquire into the unfortunate incident at a coaching centre in old Rajinder Nagar in New Delhi. The committee will investigate the reasons, fix responsibility, suggest measures, and recommend policy changes," stated the Ministry of Home Affairs in a post on X.

This investigative body will include representatives from various departments, such as the Additional Secretary of the Ministry of Housing and Urban Affairs, the Principal Secretary of the Delhi government’s Home Department, the Special Commissioner of Delhi Police, a Fire Advisor, and a Joint Secretary. They have been given a deadline of 30 days to submit their findings.

The incident occurred on Saturday evening when heavy rains flooded the basement of Rau's IAS Study Circle coaching institute, resulting in the deaths of three students: Shreya Yadav from Uttar Pradesh, Tanya Soni from Telangana, and Navin Dalwin from Kerala. 

The deaths have led to widespread outrage among fellow students, who have staged protests demanding accountability and stricter safety measures. Many have pointed fingers at the Municipal Corporation of Delhi (MCD) for what they describe as negligence in ensuring the safety of coaching centres in the area.

In light of the public outcry, civic officials have launched an anti-encroachment operation in Old Rajinder Nagar, sealing 13 illegal coaching centres in the vicinity, a known hub for educational institutes.

Additionally, authorities have arrested five individuals in connection with the incident, including Tejinder Singh, Parvinder Singh, Harvinder Singh, and Sarabjeet Singh, who are co-owners of the coaching centre, along with Manuj Kathuria, the driver whose vehicle reportedly contributed to the flooding by driving through the inundated streets. All five have been remanded to judicial custody for 14 days as investigations continue.