Tragedy Strikes Civil Services Aspirants Amidst Heavy Delhi Rains

Two civil services aspirants died and another went missing after the basement of a Delhi coaching institute flooded due to heavy rainfall. Authorities are conducting a magisterial inquiry. Local leaders blame the AAP government for negligence. The rescue operation, involving multiple agencies, continues as one student remains unaccounted for.

Two civil services aspirants died and another was reported missing after torrential rains flooded the basement of a coaching center in Delhi's Old Rajinder Nagar on Saturday, officials said.

According to the Delhi Fire Department (DFS), a distress call about waterlogging came from Rau's IAS Study Circle around 7 pm, alerting authorities about potential entrapment in the flooded basement.

DCP (Central Delhi) M Harshavardhan told reporters, "We are investigating how the entire basement got flooded so quickly, trapping people inside."

Five fire tenders were dispatched to the location, where rescuers found the basement completely submerged, officials said. The bodies of two female students were retrieved during the joint rescue operation involving the NDRF, local police, and fire department.

One student remains missing, as rescue efforts continued into early Sunday.

Revenue Minister Atishi directed Chief Secretary Naresh Kumar to conduct an inquiry and submit a report within 24 hours. "A magisterial inquiry has been ordered. Those responsible will not be spared," Atishi wrote on X.

Local political leaders criticized the AAP administration for alleged negligence. Delhi BJP chief Virendra Sachdeva and New Delhi MP Bansuri Swaraj visited the site, holding the government accountable for the incident, citing ignored local appeals to clean nearby drains.

Preliminary investigations revealed that the basement was being used as a library where several students were present when water began flooding the area rapidly. Ropes were used to rescue trapped students, with floating furniture hampering the rescue efforts.

In a similar incident earlier this week, a 26-year-old civil services aspirant was electrocuted after touching an iron gate carrying an electric charge due to recent heavy rains in Patel Nagar.

Swaraj claimed divers had to be employed to aid the rescue operation, highlighting ongoing local complaints about blocked drains. "The AAP government, including Arvind Kejriwal and local MLA Durgesh Pathak, are entirely responsible for this tragic incident," she said.