Lagatar24 Desk
New Delhi: After three civil service aspirants tragically lost their lives in the flooded basement of Rau’s IAS Study Centre in Delhi’s Old Rajinder Nagar, there were reports of other students being missing. However, one such “missing” student, Kingsley Kannan, has clarified that he is safe and has urged the media to stop using his photo, reported ThePrint.
Kingsley Kannan, who has been living with a friend in Delhi’s Sultanpur, explained that his friends, unable to reach him, reported him missing to the media. This led to his photo being circulated as a missing student. “I left the library before the tragedy struck. But, there were about 22-25 students who were sitting in the library when I left… I request the media to stop using my photo since my parents in Tamil Nadu are getting worried,” Kannan told ThePrint.
According to Kannan, the students had requested the management to open the underground space as a library, which was not legal. Following the incident, the Municipal Corporation of Delhi (MCD) has initiated action against illegally operated basements of coaching centres. By Sunday night, the MCD had sealed over 13 such centres in Old Rajinder Nagar found to be in violation of rules.
Delhi Mayor Shelly Oberoi assured on Monday that illegally operating coaching centres would not be spared. Meanwhile, the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) has formed a high-level committee to investigate the flooding incident. The committee will examine the circumstances, identify the responsible parties, and recommend preventive measures for the future.