Delhi coaching centre flooding: Students recall gasping for air, climbing on top of tables and chairs, and getting pulled out by ropes

Police personnel outside Rau’s IAS Study Circle over the death of three civil services aspirants after the basement the coaching centre was flooded by rainwater at old Rajinder Nagar in New Delhi on July 28, 2024.
| Photo Credit: Shashi Shekhar Kashyap

Traumatised students who were inside the library of the coaching institute that flooded on July 27 evening in the National Capital shared harrowing accounts of their narrow escape — gasping for air, climbing on top of tables and chairs, getting pulled out by ropes.

A 20-year-old student left the Rau’s IAS Study Circle basement centre to eat her food, and just a couple of minutes later, it was flooded with water. Around 30 students were inside the library at the time, she said, requesting anonymity. Staff of the coaching centre threw ropes for students to hold and come out, she said.

“Last year, due to heavy rains, the gate broke, but it wasn’t a serious matter as water did not enter the library. But yesterday, it was a flood-like situation. All of us felt like a pipe of water had exploded. It was traumatising,” the student said.

She said that during the recue, other students were asked to stay upstairs. “I sat with a few students who were able to escape. I consoled them and helped them with first aid as they had cuts on their body because the glass door had broken. The library faculty was also injured,” the student said.

“I can never forget how my friends were gasping for air. They were struggling as the water was dirty. I remember a student howling because his sister was trapped inside. Those images can never be forgotten,” the student said.

Also read | Delhi coaching centre deaths: Students demand accountability, voice safety concerns

Another student said they were trapped inside but able to get out when the glass door broke. “The water started flowing inside as the level of the road and basement is the same. After the water started flowing in, they shut the gates. However, the force of the water was so much that the entire basement was flooded with water in just five minutes,” the student told The Hindu.

“Since the glass door broke, we also got cuts. The students sitting near the door were able to escape. Those who were sitting at the back of the room found it difficult to escape and eventually drowned. It was really dangerous and I don’t know how I was able to save myself,” the 23-year-old student, preparing for Union Public Service Commission’s (UPSC) Civil Services Examination (CSE), said.

A 22-year-old student from Assam, preparing for the UPSC CSE said there were two gates to the basement. Following the leakage, the entire basement was flooded, he said. “The signal was weak, so we were not able to make phone calls. To ensure our safety, we just sat on top of tables and chairs for hours, as students were getting rescued slowly. All of us were scared. We don’t know how we will go back. We may miss our studies now,” the student said.

“All students were sitting in the library. The staff asked us to leave as the library shuts down around 7 p.m. When we reached near the door, the pressure of water was so much that in minutes, our knees were submerged in water. It was difficult to even climb the stairs due to the flow of water,” he said.

“While ropes were thrown for students to come out, the water so dirty that we struggled to locate anything. We couldn’t see. I was able to come out after someone pulled my rope,” the student said.