NEW DELHI: Two days after three UPSC aspirants died in the flooded basement of a coaching centre in the national capital, the official machinery appeared to go into overdrive. In almost simultaneous actions on Monday. The home ministry formed a committee to investigate the deaths, Delhi Police arrested five more people, including the person who drove a vehicle on the waterlogged road that apparently damaged the gate of the Rau’s coaching institute. In the third step, 18 private institutes faced a crackdown over illegally-run centres.
The MHA panel will comprise additional secretary in the Ministry of Urban & Housing Affairs, the principal secretary (home) of the Delhi government, special commissioner of police of Delhi Police and fire advisor. Joint Secretary (UT) in the ministry will be the panel’s convener, officials said. The committee is mandated to inquire into the reasons, fix responsibility and suggest measures, while recommending policy changes. The panel will submit its report in 30 days.
Meanwhile, the five arrested were produced before a court that sent them to judicial custody till August 12. DCP (Central) M Harsh Vardhan said the arrested also include the owner of the basement. “All the floors of the RAU’s IAS coaching institute had different owners,” he said.
The MCD has sealed 18 coaching centres while six libraries and gyms running in basements have been served notices. The police have written to the MCD seeking status of desilting of drains near the coaching centre in Old Rajinder Nagar. The police have also sought details of any complaint against the centre to the civic agency.