On Sunday, Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) MP Swati Maliwal visited the families of the deceased civil service aspirants at Ram Manohar Lohia (RML) Hospital. The tragic incident occurred in Delhi’s Old Rajender Nagar, where three UPSC aspirants lost their lives due to waterlogging in the basement of an IAS coaching institute. The police have since sent the bodies to RML Hospital for autopsy.
Maliwal voiced the families’ demand for stringent action against those responsible for the tragedy. She assured the families that she would raise the issue in Parliament until justice is served. On her social media handle on the microblogging site X, Maliwal shared her thoughts, expressing deep sorrow for the families.
She described how one of the victims was a 25-year-old daughter of a farmer from Uttar Pradesh, and the other was a 21-year-old student. Both families were in a state of distress, with their only demand being the harsh punishment of the culprits.
The families have been vocal about their desire to prevent such a tragedy from happening to anyone else. Maliwal criticised the lack of response from the Delhi government ministers, the MCD mayor, MLAs, and councillors, noting that none had visited the grieving families.
She called for the ministers and the mayor to apologise to the families, outline the steps for justice, and provide a compensation of Rs 1 crore. Maliwal pledged to fight for justice in Parliament.
Earlier, Maliwal expressed her outrage over the delay in action against the officials responsible for the deaths of the three civil service aspirants. She stated that the deaths should be termed “murder” rather than a disaster.
Maliwal called for an FIR to be filed against high-ranking government officials, pointing out that no minister, mayor, or officer had responded even hours after the incident. She also alleged corruption in the operation of illegal basements in the city, questioning how such establishments could function without bribery.
Maliwal highlighted the negligence in addressing safety concerns, noting that students had been requesting drain cleaning for ten days prior to the incident, but no action was taken. She criticised the authorities for their inaction and questioned how illegal basements and extra floors could exist without corruption.
Maliwal accused the officials of being detached from ground realities, conducting press conferences from the comfort of air-conditioned rooms instead of addressing safety issues. She referenced a recent incident in Patel Nagar where a UPSC aspirant was electrocuted on a waterlogged street, underscoring the persistent safety failures.
The tragic incident in Old Rajender Nagar has sparked outrage and calls for accountability. The Delhi police have arrested the owner and coordinator of the coaching centre.
The victims were identified as Shreya Yadav from Ambedkar Nagar, Uttar Pradesh; Tanya Soni from Telangana; and Nivin Dalwin from Ernakulam, Kerala, according to DCP Central M Harshavardhan.
The community mourns the loss of these young aspirants and demands justice for their untimely deaths. The incident has highlighted the urgent need for stringent safety measures and accountability to prevent such tragedies in the future.
As the investigation continues, the affected families and supporters await concrete actions from the authorities to ensure justice and prevent further loss of life.
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