New Delhi: In a tragic incident, two girls died while several other students were feared trapped after the basement of a coaching institute in the Old Rajendra Nagar area was flooded following heavy rains, officials said on Saturday.
Search and rescue operations are still underway at the coaching institute in Old Rajender Nagar.
Delhi Police said that due to very poor visibility and a flooded basement, divers and NDRF are still searching the spot.
Deputy Commissioner of Police (DCP) Central, M Harshavardhan said, "At 7 pm, we received information that the basement of a USPC coaching institute in Rajender Nagar has been flooded with a possibility of some people trapped. There was waterlogging on the road due to heavy rains this evening. We are investigating the matter that how the entire basement got flooded. It appears that the basement got flooded very fast and some people got trapped inside the basement. Delhi Fire Service and NDRF resued teams are present here. Search and rescue operations are underway."
Reacting to the incident, Delhi Minister Atishi said that there is news of an accident due to heavy rain in Delhi in the evening.
"There is news of water filling in the basement of a coaching institute in Rajendra Nagar Delhi Fire Department and NDRF are on the spot. Delhi Mayor and local MLA are also there. I am taking updates on the incident every minute. A magistrate has been ordered to investigate how this incident happened. Whoever is responsible for this incident will not be spared," Atishi said on X.
Atishi also directed the Chief Secretary to initiate a magisterial inquiry and provide a report within 24 hours on the incident where students were trapped in the basement of a coaching institute due to heavy rain and flooding.
AAP MP Swati Maliwal said that a UPSC student died by drowning in the Rajendra Nagar area due to water filling in the basement.
"This incident is very unfortunate and sad. Can't even imagine what this child's family must be going through. Just a few days ago, a student died due to an electric shock in Patel Nagar. Accountability should be fixed for this incident. Those guilty of negligence should be punished," she said.
BJP MP Bansuri Swaraj slammed the AAP government and said that the Kejriwal's government did not listen to any requests of the local people.
"These children came here to create their future. But the government of CM Arvind Kejriwal and MLA Durgesh Pathak did not listen to any requests of the local people. People had been asking Durgesh Pathak for last one week to get the drainage systems cleaned. There are still 2.5 feet of waterlogged on the street. Arvind Kejriwal and Durgesh Pathak are responsible for the deaths," she said.
