Political Firestorm: BJP blames AAP for deaths of 3 UPSC aspirants in flooded coaching centre in Delhi

3 IAS aspirants die in Delhi coaching centre basement

Three UPSC aspirants lost their lives after being trapped in the flooded basement of Rau's IAS Study Circle in central Delhi's Old Rajinder Nagar. The tragic incident, which occurred last evening, has sparked massive protests and a heated political exchange between the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP).

Hundreds of students and locals gathered outside the coaching centre this morning, demanding action against the institution and the authorities for their negligence. The flooding was triggered by an explosion in a nearby drain, leading to water rapidly filling the basement where the students were studying.

#OldRajendraNagar | Students continue to protest outside the coaching institute where three students lost their lives after the basement of the institute was filled with water yesterday #Delhi #DelhiStudent #DelhiRains pic.twitter.com/wI6YoimeS7

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— DD News (@DDNewslive) July 28, 2024

Delhi BJP Chief Virendra Sachdeva accused the AAP government of corruption and neglect. "There should be an inquiry into the alleged corruption by Arvind Kejriwal, Atishi, and their government. There should be an inquiry as to why the drainage was not cleaned by the Delhi Municipal Corporation," Sachdeva said.

Also Read: Two students die, several trapped in West Delhi coaching center's flooded basement; probe ordered

BJP MP Bansuri Swaraj also criticized the AAP government, asserting that local complaints had been ignored. "These children came here to create their future. But the government of Arvind Kejriwal and MLA Durgesh Pathak did not listen to any requests of the local people. People had been asking Durgesh Pathak for the last week to get the drainage systems cleaned. Arvind Kejriwal and Durgesh Pathak are responsible for the deaths," she said.

#WATCH | Delhi: On the Old Rajender Nagar incident, BJP MP Bansuri Swaraj says, "These children came here to create their future. But the government of CM Arvind Kejriwal and MLA Durgesh Pathak did not listen to any requests of the local people. People had been asking Durgesh… pic.twitter.com/5JgVzLkU05

— ANI (@ANI) July 27, 2024

BJP spokesperson Shehzad Poonawalla went further, calling the incident a "murder" committed by AAP due to their negligence.

In response, AAP MLA Durgesh Pathak deflected blame onto the BJP, noting that BJP councillors had been in power in the Municipal Corporation of Delhi for 15 years without addressing drainage issues. "This is not the time for politics. The focus now is on saving the students," Pathak stated.

#WATCH | Delhi: On the Old Rajender Nagar incident, AAP MLA Durgesh Pathak says, "This is a low-line area. The water moves from this line. Either a drain or a sewer has broken and the water got filled in the basement... The teams are doing their job... BJP should also answer what… pic.twitter.com/ZWa0IMozcH

— ANI (@ANI) July 27, 2024

The fire brigade received a distress call at 7:19 PM last evening about students being trapped in the basement. Five fire engines and teams from the National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) were dispatched to assist in the rescue operations. Despite their efforts, the bodies of two female students were recovered by late evening, and the body of the male student was found post-midnight.

DCP Central M Harshavardhan confirmed the fatalities and stated, "Three bodies have been recovered…two female bodies and one male body. Their bodies have been sent for the legal postmortem examination. Work is continuously underway to pump out the water."

VIDEO | Delhi: “Three bodies have been recovered…two female bodies and one male body. Their bodies have been sent for the legal postmortem examination. Work is continuously underway to pump out the water,” said DCP Central M Harshavardhan.

Three civil services aspirants have… pic.twitter.com/fqFrhzzzXk

— Press Trust of India (@PTI_News) July 28, 2024

The incident follows another tragedy in West Delhi's Patel Nagar, where a UPSC aspirant was electrocuted while crossing a waterlogged street. The series of incidents has highlighted the critical need for improved infrastructure and better emergency response mechanisms in the capital.

The families of the victims, along with the student community, are left grieving and demanding justice for the preventable loss of young lives.