Delhi’s Tis Hazari Court sent five accused persons to 14 days of judicial custody in connection with the tragic drowning of three UPSC aspirants in the basement of Rau’s IAS coaching center in the nation’s capital.
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NEW DELHI: Delhi’s Tis Hazari Court on Monday (29th July) sent five accused persons to 14 days of judicial custody in connection with the tragic drowning of three UPSC aspirants in the basement of Rau’s IAS coaching center in the nation’s capital.
Background
The incident occurred when the basement of the Rau’s IAS Study Circle, which housed a library, flooded due to heavy rain after the single biometric entry and exit point failed because of the floodwater. According to eyewitnesses, the basement quickly filled with 10-12 feet of water, leaving the students trapped with no chance of escape.
Rescue operations commenced shortly after the incident was reported. The police later arrested seven individuals, with two sent to judicial custody on Sunday. The remaining five accused were produced before the court today.
Four of the accused are co-owners of the Rau’s coaching center, while the fifth is the driver of a car that allegedly drove through the flooded road, causing the water to swell and break down the gate of the coaching center, leading to the flooding of the basement.
After hearing the counsels’ arguments, the court remanded all five accused to 14 days of judicial custody.
Their bail pleas will be heard on Today.
The counsel representing the arrested driver argued that the road was not closed, and the accused was driving along the center of the road. The counsel further stated that the traffic inspector, Municipal Corporation of Delhi (MCD), and PWD officials have not been arrested, and only common people have been detained to appease the media and create an impression of action.
Additionally, the counsel argued that the water level was only 2.5 feet high, and the vehicle’s speed was only 15 kilometers per hour, suggesting that there was no prohibition to drive on the road.
The counsel representing the other four accused argued that the essentials of Section 102 (culpable homicide) of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhit (BNS) were not fulfilled in the present case. They also highlighted that the responsibility for ensuring the safety of the children was on the lessee (coaching owner), who had already been arrested, and that none of the actual culprits from the civic agencies have been taken into custody.
This tragic incident has raised concerns about the safety measures and emergency protocols in educational institutions, particularly in the wake of extreme weather conditions.
