Editor's Pick | Five more arrested for Delhi coaching centre flooding, probe committee created

The tragic matter of the drowning of three IAS aspirants in the basement of a civil services examination coaching centre in the Old Rajinder Nagar area of New Delhi on July 27 has grabbed national attention. On Monday, the Delhi police arrested five more persons in connection with the incident. The persons arrested include Parvinder Singh, Sarvjit Singh, Harvinder Singh and Tejinder Singh, owners of various floors of the building, as well as Manoj Katariya, who drove an SUV through the flooded road outside the coaching centre. This had caused water to hit the gate of the basement, which was subsequently breached, flooding the basement. The vehicle has been seized by police, and the accused have been remanded to judicial custody for 14 days by a court. This follows the arrest of the coordinator and the owner of the coaching centre on July 28. Portions of five more coaching centres allegedly in violation of the law were sealed by the Municipal Corporation of Delhi, bringing the total to 19 centres. This includes Rau’s IAS Study Circle, where the students had been studying. As per Mayor Shelly Oberoi, the Corporation also conducted a drive to remove encroachments on drains in Rajinder Nagar and areas close by. The Union Home Ministry has constituted a committee, comprising the Additional Secretary, Housing and Urban Poverty Alleviation Ministry, the Principal Secretary (Home), Delhi government, the Special Commissioner of Police, the Fire Adviser and Joint Secretary, Home Ministry as the convener, to look into the reasons for the incident and submit a report in 30 days. The Corporation has taken action against two engineers, firing a junior engineer belonging to the Karol Bagh zone, where the coaching centre is located, and initiating disciplinary action against an assistant engineer. Meanwhile, students have continued protesting around the coaching centre, demanding a transparent investigation, better infrastructure and compensation for the families of those who died. They have also demanded an audience with Delhi Lieutenant-Governor V.K. Saxena, and have accused the Delhi Police and the Corporation of being complacent. On July 29, Mr. Saxena announced a compensation of ₹10 lakh for the families of the deceased. A political blame game is afoot over the deaths, with the BJP protesting near the Delhi AAP headquarters and the AAP protesting outside the Lieutenant-Governor’s office. The BJP is alleging “criminal negligence” by the State government, while the AAP is demanding that the Corporation Commissioner be removed and that officials who did not desilt the drains be punished. It also alleges that the LG has not taken action against officials despite several complaints. The police have sought a status report from the Corporatiom on the desilting of drains near the coaching centre, and if there were any earlier complaints. The Corporation has also been asked for the clearance certificate granted to Rau’s IAS Study Circle, as well as the occupancy certificate. Notably, the basement owner has said that the basement was only to be used for parking and storage, the police said. The Hindu’s Editorials Human failure: On IAS aspirants and the accident in Delhi ​Widening conflict: On an elusive peace in West Asia The Hindu’s Daily Quiz When is PM Modi likely to visit Ukraine? August 23 September 1 October 14 August 20 To know the answer and to play the full quiz, click here. [logo] Editor's Pick 30 July 2024 [The Hindu logo] [EP Logo] Editor's Pick 30 July 2024 In the Editor's Pick newsletter, The Hindu explains why a story was important enough to be carried on the front page of today's edition of our newspaper. [View in browser]( [More newsletters]( Five more arrested for Delhi coaching centre flooding, probe committee created The tragic matter of the drowning of three IAS aspirants in the basement of a civil services examination coaching centre in the Old Rajinder Nagar area of New Delhi on July 27 has grabbed national attention. [On Monday, the Delhi police arrested five more persons in connection with the incident](. The persons arrested include Parvinder Singh, Sarvjit Singh, Harvinder Singh and Tejinder Singh, owners of various floors of the building, as well as Manoj Katariya, who drove an SUV through the flooded road outside the coaching centre. This had caused water to hit the gate of the basement, which was subsequently breached, flooding the basement. The vehicle has been seized by police, and the accused have been remanded to judicial custody for 14 days by a court. This follows the arrest of the coordinator and the owner of the coaching centre on July 28. Portions of five more coaching centres allegedly in violation of the law were sealed by the Municipal Corporation of Delhi, bringing the total to 19 centres. This includes Rau’s IAS Study Circle, where the students had been studying. As per Mayor Shelly Oberoi, the Corporation also conducted a drive to remove encroachments on drains in Rajinder Nagar and areas close by. The Union Home Ministry has constituted a committee, comprising the Additional Secretary, Housing and Urban Poverty Alleviation Ministry, the Principal Secretary (Home), Delhi government, the Special Commissioner of Police, the Fire Adviser and Joint Secretary, Home Ministry as the convener, to look into the reasons for the incident and submit a report in 30 days. The Corporation has taken action against two engineers, firing a junior engineer belonging to the Karol Bagh zone, where the coaching centre is located, and initiating disciplinary action against an assistant engineer. Meanwhile, students have continued protesting around the coaching centre, demanding a transparent investigation, better infrastructure and compensation for the families of those who died. They have also demanded an audience with Delhi Lieutenant-Governor V.K. Saxena, and have accused the Delhi Police and the Corporation of being complacent. On July 29, Mr. Saxena announced a compensation of ₹10 lakh for the families of the deceased. A political blame game is afoot over the deaths, with the BJP protesting near the Delhi AAP headquarters and the AAP protesting outside the Lieutenant-Governor’s office. The BJP is alleging “criminal negligence” by the State government, while the AAP is demanding that the Corporation Commissioner be removed and that officials who did not desilt the drains be punished. It also alleges that the LG has not taken action against officials despite several complaints. The police have sought a status report from the Corporatiom on the desilting of drains near the coaching centre, and if there were any earlier complaints. The Corporation has also been asked for the clearance certificate granted to Rau’s IAS Study Circle, as well as the occupancy certificate. Notably, the basement owner has said that the basement was only to be used for parking and storage, the police said. The Hindu’s Editorials [Arrow][Human failure: On IAS aspirants and the accident in Delhi]( [Arrow][​Widening conflict: On an elusive peace in West Asia]( The Hindu’s Daily Quiz When is PM Modi likely to visit Ukraine? - August 23 - September 1 - October 14 - August 20 To know the answer and to play the full quiz, [click here](. [Sign up for free]( Today’s Best Reads [[Massive landslides hit Kerala’s Wayanad; several feared trapped] Massive landslides hit Kerala’s Wayanad; several feared trapped]( [[Paris Olympics 2024 promises to ‘revolutionise’ the Games’ experience] Paris Olympics 2024 promises to ‘revolutionise’ the Games’ experience]( [[Rohingya infiltration serious issue, threat to security: MEA official says in Tripura] Rohingya infiltration serious issue, threat to security: MEA official says in Tripura]( [[New U.K. Government to restart trade talks with India, others] New U.K. Government to restart trade talks with India, others]( Copyright© 2024, THG PUBLISHING PVT LTD. 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