Incident Overview:
On July 27, Manuj Kathuria was driving his SUV in front of the Rau IAS Coaching Institute in Old Rajendra Nagar, Delhi, when a tragic incident occurred. The Delhi court has since granted him bail on a bond of Rs 50,000, following accusations that his vehicle, traveling at high speed, contributed to a tragic drowning of three students due to water flooding the basement of the coaching institute. Kathuria was arrested on July 29.
Court Proceedings:
Kathuria faced allegations of driving recklessly on a waterlogged road, which allegedly caused the basement door of the coaching institute to fail, resulting in severe flooding. This led to the drowning of three students. However, the Delhi Police have decided to withdraw the severe charge of culpable homicide against Kathuria. The court has noted that Kathuria’s involvement might be overstated and that he was charged with an overly enthusiastic approach.
On July 31, Kathuria's bail plea was initially denied by the magistrate’s court. Kathuria then appealed to a sessions judge, Additional Sessions Judge Rakesh Kumar, who has ordered that Kathuria refrain from making any public statements about the case.
Investigation Insights:
During a recent investigation, the police noted that the serious charge of culpable homicide may not hold. This determination will be confirmed pending a report from the IIT Delhi expert team, which is set to inspect the site. Currently, the case against Kathuria is under Section 281 of the Indian Penal Code, related to reckless driving.
Kathuria’s defense, led by senior advocate Vikas Pahwa, argues that the prosecution has failed to present essential scientific data. This includes the volume of water on the road at the time of the incident and the impact on the basement's iron gate. Without this information, it's challenging to establish a direct link between Kathuria’s actions and the damage caused.
High Court Reaction:
The Delhi High Court has criticized the Delhi Police and the Municipal Corporation of Delhi (MCD) for their handling of the incident. The court accused the MCD of systemic failure and inefficiency, emphasizing that merely suspending junior officers will not resolve the underlying issues.
The High Court also condemned Kathuria’s arrest, questioning the investigative approach and suggesting that the arrest might be an attempt to cover up broader systemic failures.
Incident Details:
The sequence of events on July 27 is as follows:
Power outage led to the basement library’s biometric gate jamming, trapping students in the dark.
Initially, water did not enter the basement, but pressure eventually caused the gate to break.
Water flooded the basement rapidly, reaching knee-high levels and quickly escalating to 10-12 feet.
Efforts to rescue the students were hindered by floating debris and dirty water. By late night, three students had drowned.
Administrative Actions:
Arrests and Custody:
Coaching institute owner Abhishek Gupta and coordinator Deshpal Singh, among others, have been arrested and are in judicial custody. FIRs have been filed under various sections of the Indian Penal Code.
Magisterial Probe:
Delhi government minister Atishi has ordered a magisterial probe into the incident, with a report expected soon.
LG’s Investigation:
LG VK Saxena has instructed the Divisional Commissioner to investigate the failure of basic maintenance systems, with a report due by Tuesday.
Sealing of Illegal Coaching Centers:
The MCD has sealed 13 coaching centers operating illegally in basements and issued notices to these institutes.
Suspensions:
MCD has suspended a junior engineer and an assistant engineer in response to the incident.
Future Planning:
A committee has been formed to develop plans to relocate coaching institutes to designated areas in Rohini and Narela.
The incident has sparked significant public and legal scrutiny, highlighting broader issues of infrastructure maintenance and accountability.
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