What Led To Delhi Coaching Centre Flooding That Claimed 3 UPSC Aspirants' Lives?

At least three students lost their lives after being trapped for over four hours when water suddenly flooded the basement of Rau's IAS Study Circle, a popular coaching centre in West Delhi's Old Rajendra Nagar, on Saturday.

The victims, identified as Tania Soni (25), Shreya Yadav (25), and Navin Delvin (28) from Kerala, were preparing for the Union Public Service Commission (UPSC) exams.

Photo Credit: PTI

Visuals from the site showed the basement completely submerged, reported NDTV. The fire brigade received a distress call at 7:19 pm, prompting the dispatch of five fire engines.

A National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) team also joined the rescue efforts. Officials reported that the flooding resulted from a drain explosion.

The bodies of the two female students were recovered hours after the rescue operation commenced, while Navin Delvin's body was found later that night.

Possible Causes of Flooding

Location and Structure: The basement, which served as a library with a seating capacity of about 150, was located on a sloped street. Heavy rains might have caused water to rush into the institute rapidly, breaking the basement door.

Drain Overflow: Investigations are considering whether an overflow of the street's sewer drain contributed to the flooding.

Obstructions: Floating furniture in the flooded basement created obstacles, complicating the rescue operations.

This tragic incident follows closely on the heels of another calamity in West Delhi, where a UPSC aspirant was electrocuted while trying to cross a waterlogged street in Patel Nagar.