NHRC, India takes suo motu cognizance of the reported death of three students due to drowning in the flooded basement library of a coaching centre in Delhi

Press Release

National Human Rights Commission

New Delhi: 30th July, 2024

NHRC, India takes suo motu cognizance of the reported death of three students due to drowning in the flooded basement library of a coaching centre in Delhi

Expressing serious concerns over the reported incident the Commission says the Government of NCT of Delhi, Municipal Corporation as well as law enforcement agencies cannot escape their liability

Issues notices to the Delhi Chief Secretary, the Police Commissioner and the MCD Commissioner calling for a detailed report in the matter within two weeks

NHRC directed to carry out a survey to find the number of such institutes & coaching centres running in violation of the prescribed norms in the national capital and action taken against the negligent officers in failing to check these irregularities

The National Human Rights Commission (NHRC), India has taken suo motu cognizance of media reports that 3 students drowned to death in the flooded basement library of a prominent civil services coaching centre in Delhi on 27th July, 2024. The News report indicated that many complaints regarding water logging were made to the authorities, but no action was taken.

Expressing serious concern over the incident, the Commission has observed that the contents of the news report indicate negligence on the part of the authorities concerned. It has been noted that a few days back reportedly in another incident of authorities’ negligence a civil services aspirant died due to electrocution while crossing a waterlogged street of which it had taken suo motu cognizance. Therefore, the Government of NCT of Delhi, Municipal Corporation as well as the law enforcement agencies cannot escape their liability. Accordingly, notices have been issued to the Chief Secretary, Government of NCT of Delhi, the Commissioner of Police and the Commissioner, Municipal Corporation to submit a detailed report in the matter within two weeks.

The Delhi Chief Secretary has also been asked to get a thorough survey done to know the exact number of such institutes and coaching centres running in violation of the prescribed norms across Delhi. Every detail of such institutes including complaints pending against them and action taken by the department concerned is to be mentioned in the report. The Commission would like to know about the action taken against the responsible public servants who failed to do their lawful duty to check these irregularities. Apart from this, the Commission has asked the Government of NCT of Delhi to intimate about the compensation paid to the next of kin of the deceased as well as steps taken/ proposed to ensure that such tragic incidents do not recur.

According to the media reports, around 35 students were studying in the library when, suddenly, rainwater started flowing in. This created panic as it was one thing to wade through waterlogged streets and quite another to have a situation like a dam burst, where one has no means to escape. Reportedly, the students also told that the library of the institute got filled with rainwater every year, but the basement was flooded because the gate broke down. The incident happened at 7-7.15 pm and rescue divers came in only around 9.15 pm. Because of the delay in the arrival of water suction pumps, the situation worsened.

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