Delhi mayor calls emergency meeting over coaching centre deaths

Delhi mayor Shelly Oberoi will hold an emergency meeting of civic officials over the deaths of three IAS aspirants after the basement of their coaching centre got flooded following heavy rain, officials said on Monday, 29 July.

The meeting will be held at 3 pm at the Municipal Corporation of Delhi (MCD) headquarters, an official told PTI.

The MCD commissioner, water board chief executive officer and the public works department principal secretary will attend the meeting, the official said.

The meeting was called after three IAS aspirants died due to flooding of their institute's basement in the coaching hub of Old Rajinder Nagar following heavy rain last week.

Meanwhile, security has been beefed up in the coaching hub of Old Rajinder Nagar amid a protest by IAS aspirants over the death of three students due to flooding in their institute's basement following heavy rains, officials said on Monday.

The protesters sat on the road near the coaching institute, demanding justice and compensation for the families of the deceased. They are also demanding strict action against those responsible.

"The police have erected barricades near the protest site where students are sitting and protesting. The security personnel were initially checking the ID cards, but now they have allowed everyone to go to the protest site. Two earthmovers have also reached the spot," said Ankit Singh, one of the protesters.

The aspirants gathered near Rau's IAS Study Circle whose students died

after the basement institute was flooded following rains on Saturday.

A senior police officer said, "We have deployed paramilitary forces and police in the area to maintain law and order."

A massive protest was witnessed on Sunday as well when the students squatted and blocked both the carriageways of the Pusa Road near the Karol Bagh Metro Station.

"We request all to maintain law and order. The Pusa Road is an important road with many hospitals in the vicinity. We have barricaded the area and deployed additional force to maintain peace. We will ensure that no one is disturbed due to the protest," said the officer.