The Delhi Police on Tuesday opposed the bail plea of an SUV driver accused in the case of three students' deaths due to basement flooding at Rau's Study Circle in Old Rajinder Nagar. The police contended that he aggravated the incident, news agency PTI reported. In response, the accused's lawyer argued, "Delhi Police arresting people not related to the case; how can I be blamed for the incident?"
"He is mastikhor. In doing fun he caused the incident," the public prosecutor told the court about the SUV driver.
According to The Indian Express, the driver was identified as 50-year-old Manoj Kathuria who in a viral video, said to be shot by one of the students of the coaching centre, could be seen driving his Force Gurkha through the waterlogged road.
Delhi Coaching Centre Flooding: Police Claim Negligence On Part Of SUV Driver
On Monday, the Delhi Police arrested seven individuals, including an SUV driver, in connection with the deaths of three students due to basement flooding. Deputy Commissioner of Police (Central) M Harshvardhan confirmed the arrest, noting that the driver was identified from widely circulated social media videos showing his vehicle speeding past the coaching institute, which led to significant damage, news agency ANI reported.
The police tracked the driver and his vehicle using CCTV footage from the area. "Negligence has been established on the part of the arrested driver, who was driving at a very high speed, causing the gate of the coaching centre to break. A street vendor had attempted to stop him before he collided with the building gate," said DCP Harshvardhan, as per ANI.
According to the police, the swift movement of water towards the institute was exacerbated by the SUV’s passage, leading to the flooding of the premises. "Initially, the gate of the coaching institute was intact, but after the car sped by, it broke and fell. The accused driver has no connection with the coaching centre or the building owner," added the DCP.
The victims, Shreya Yadav from Uttar Pradesh, Tanya Soni from Telangana, and Nevin Dalwin from Kerala, tragically lost their lives when the basement of Rau's Study Circle in Old Rajinder Nagar flooded due to heavy rain. Alongside the SUV driver, the owner and coordinator of the coaching centre have also been arrested and charged with culpable homicide among other offences.
In response to the incident, the Municipal Corporation of Delhi (MCD) sealed the basements of 13 coaching centres in Karol Bagh on Sunday for violating building bye-laws, amid protests by students. Mayor Shelly Oberoi has directed strict action against coaching centres operating illegally in basements.
Judicial Magistrate First Class Vinod Kumar remanded the landowners Tejinder, Sarabjit, Harvinder, Parvinder, and driver Manuj Kathuria to judicial custody until 12 August.