‘Same water level of basement, road posed problem’

New Delhi: An interim report of the magisterial inquiry in the death of three students in the flooded library of Rau’s IAS Study Circle here said the water level of the centre’s basement and the road was same that posed problem in pumping out water to rescue the trapped students.

Another report by the Municipal Corporation of Delhi (MCD) found that the flooding of the basement made the biometric gate there “non functional” that “caused casualty and delayed the evacuation of the students”.

The MCD report also suggested several possible reasons behind flooding of the basement including encroachments and the peculiar profile of the road outside the building housing the coaching centre.

The interim magisterial inquiry report and the MCD Karol Bagh zone superintending engineer report were submitted to Revenue minister Atishi who alleged that the “bureaucracy” was showing “laxity” in investigating the death of the

civil services aspirants.

In a post on X, the minister said that at 11.20 pm on July 27, she directed Chief Secretary Naresh Kumar to initiate a magisterial inquiry into the tragic incident that led to the loss of three lives in Rajinder Nagar.

“....On 29.07.2024 at 7:40pm, I only received an incident report from the Divisional Commissioner, and was told that the enquiry would take 7 more days. “It is unfortunate that such a tragic incident has taken place, but the bureaucracy is showing such laxity in investigating the matter. It raises

questions whether the culprits are being protected,” she said in the post.

The interim report of district magistrate (central) said the incident was reported telephonically by a representative of Rau’s IAS, Mangal, at 7.20 pm on July 27 that rainwater filled the basement of the coaching institute in Old Rajinder Nagar.

The caller said that some students were stranded in the basement and he was not

sure about their number as he said it could be around five, said the report.With agency inputs