Amid a massive uproar on social media as well as the Parliament, the Minister of Home Affairs (MHA) on Monday night announced the forming of a panel that will investigate the deaths of three UPSC aspirants in an IAS Coaching Center's basement. MHA's decision to form a panel came in the backdrop of major student protests going on in the National Capital over accountability and demand for justice. On the other hand, political parties remained busy in blame games in the Parliament. Finally, around 8 pm on Monday, MHA announced the formation of a special committee that will look into the matter. Now, the question arises who will be in the MHA panel and when will they submit their final report? Below is what we know so far-
MHA Special Panel members probing Old Rajinder Nagar mishap
MHA on its official X handle announced, "MHA has constituted a committee to inquire into the unfortunate incident at a coaching centre in old Rajinder Nagar in New Delhi. The committee will inquire into the reasons, fix responsibility, suggest measures, and recommend policy change..The committee will have Additional Secretary, MoUHA, Principal Secretary (Home), Delhi Govt, Special CP, Delhi Police, Fire Advisor and JS, MHA as Convener. It will submit its report in 30 days." As per reports, the committee will be chaired by an additional secretary of the ministry of housing and urban affairs.
Notably, MHA has not revealed the names of the officers who will be part of the panel.
What did the MCD Commissioner say about Rau's Study Circle mishap?
Addressing the media after hours of students' protest, MCD Commissioner Ashwani Kumar said, "This is a very sad incident...We will demolish all the encroachments there in that area and will recover the drainage system there...The other action taken in this incident is, that all the basements which are illegal or coaching centres are running there, we are taking action against them...The Municipal Corporation of Delhi (MCD) has terminated a Junior Engineer and suspended an Assistant Engineer and seeks an explanation from the concerned Executive Engineer..."
Not only this, but MCD also sealed 13 coaching centres in the Old Rajinder Nagar area as part of a crackdown on illegal and dangerous use of basements. These include IAS Gurukul, Chahal Academy, Plutus Academy, Sai Trading, IAS Setu, Topper's Academy, Dainik Samvad, Civils Daily IAS, Career Power, 99 Notes, Vidya Guru, Guidance IAS, and Easy for IAS.