Security personnel stand guard near the IAS research circle in Rao, New Delhi on Sunday. (Ministry of Public Transport)
Students suspect more casualties at Delhi coaching center, seek CCTV footage: Library has installed biometric system, meaning doors will not open without verification of fingerprints. As the water begins to fill, the power is turned off, the doors are locked, and the occupants are trapped
As per a no-objection certificate from the Delhi Fire Service (DFS), the Delhi coaching center was allowed to use the basement, which is only for storage purposes and cannot be used as a library, where three civil service candidates were flooded due to heavy rains on Saturday. ) Accessed by CNN-News18.
Shriya Yadav of Uttar Pradesh's Ambedkar Nagar, Tanya Soni of Telangana and Naveen Darwin of Ernakulam in Kerala at Old Larkin in central Delhi He died in the incident in De Nagar district. An autopsy will be performed on Sunday.
Also Read | Massive protests after 3 students drowned in Delhi coaching center basement; Owner, coordinator arrested | Update
DFS sources told News18: “The owners of the IAS coaching academy in Rau violated NOC regulations by using the basement space as a library.”
The NOC clearly stipulates: “The use of basements should strictly comply with the building bylaws.”
The DFS will write to the Delhi Police to add relevant sections in the First Information Report (FIR).
Conditions mentioned in NOC
- All means of egress to stairs should be kept clear of obstructions and free of locks and keys.
- All fire safety devices specified therein shall be maintained in good working order at all times.
- Any loss of life or property due to failure of safety measures shall be the risk and responsibility of management.
- Trained staff should be available around the clock.
- Six months before the certificate expires, the owner should apply to renew the certificate.
Library biometric system locks door
The building has four floors, a parking space and a basement. An hour-long rain on Saturday turned the area into a sinkhole and caused flooding as silt was not removed. Work began on Sunday to clear the silt and drains with suction pumps amid the uproar over the accident.
According to students, the library has a biometric system installed, which means doors will not open without verification of fingerprints. As the water begins to fill, the power is turned off and the door is locked. This could amount to a “non-functional security measure” mentioned in the NOC, suggesting another breach.
“After every rainfall, water accumulates in the area. This has been happening for the past many years. The roads where waterlogging occurs are like sinkholes. We will conduct the exam in the next few months… In a few minutes Inside, the water level in the basement rose to at least 12 feet… We saw more bodies being taken away by the police. It took the rescue team several hours to reach here…” Shadman Zafar, 26, from Patna. Shadman Zaffar, who has been preparing for IAS for the past two years.
Students protested at the scene on Sunday, demanding CCTV footage and claimed the number of casualties could be at least 20.
Actions taken so far
Delhi Police on Sunday arrested the owner and coordinator of Rau's IAS research circle.
Delhi Police registered an FIR against the accused at Rajinder Nagar police station:
- Article 105 (Manslaughter)
- Section 106(1) (death of any person caused by any reckless or negligent act not amounting to manslaughter)
- Article 115(2) (Penalty for intentional injury)
- Section 290 (Negligence in connection with the demolition, repair or construction of buildings)
- Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS) Section 3/5 (Common Intention)
“We have registered an FIR at Rajinder Nagar police station… and launched an investigation,” deputy commissioner of police M Harsha Vardhan said, adding that they were checking CCTV footage to understand the sequence of events.
The call came in at 7 p.m.
According to DFS, a flooding call was received at the coaching center around 7pm on Saturday, indicating that someone might be trapped.
Also Read | 'Murder, not accident': BJP accuses AAP govt of Delhi coaching center incident
Police said the basement appeared to flood quickly, trapping some people inside. A fire department official said five fire trucks were called to the scene and the basement was full of water when they arrived.
Officials said ropes were used to evacuate the trapped students. A police officer said furniture from the coaching center was floating on the water, hampering rescue operations.
