Students protest over death of civil services aspirants after the basement of a building housing a coaching centre was flooded following heavy rainfall, in Delhi's Old Rajinder Nagar area, Sunday, July 28, 2024.
Credit: PTI Photo
New Delhi: As the UPSC aspirants protest completed one week on Sunday, the students lit candles in the memory of three civil service aspirants who died due to flooding in the basement of Rau's IAS Study Circle in Delhi's Old Rajinder Nagar.
Shreya Yadav, Tanya Soni and Nevin Dalvin, died after rainwater gushed inside of the basement of the coaching centre.
Students enrolled in various coaching institutes have been protesting since the incident, demanding improved safety measures at coaching centres that pose a threat to their lives.
A number of students on Sunday took out a candle march and sat in front of the coaching centre building to remember their friends who lost their lives.
"They were very bright students. Today they are not with us," a civil service aspirant said, adding that Yadav, Soni and Dalvin will always be remembered and the protest will also continue.
"We know that our studies are getting hampered but our protest will bring a bright future for other students. We don't want any other student to die in such tragic incidents," another student said.
Police had arrested seven people, including the coaching centre CEO and coordinator, in connection with the deaths.
"I understand the drafting of a new law takes time but problems like high rent, brokerage should be solved. However, no steps have been taken till now regarding these issues. We want a solution for these problems. We want justice…," a protester told PTI Videos.
Many students are protesting over the tragic incident and demanding justice for the victims and better facilities in the area, another protestor said.
“Our demand is that the victim's family gets Rs 5 crore each, everyone gets to avail library facilities at an affordable fee and there should be proper maintenance of drainage systems in the area as we are not here to die, but to study," another protestor told PTI Videos.
Several political leaders and officials, including AAP's Sanjay Singh, Atishi and Shelly Oberoi, Delhi LG VK Saxena, among others, visited the protest site and talked to the students for a resolution.
"We will continue our protest till justice is served and our other demands are met," a protestor told PTI over phone.