Ghaziabad Resident Rishabh Pal Reflects on Tragic Coaching Center Flooding in Delhi

New Delhi, 31st July 2024: Rishabh Pal, a 21-year-old who survived the tragic incident at a Delhi coaching centre on Saturday, feels a deep sense of guilt for not being able to save his fellow students, including Tanya Soni, who had encouraged him to stay hopeful when they feared for their lives.

Rishabh, a Ghaziabad resident, was one of 25-30 students trapped in the basement of the building on the evening of July 27. The flooding, caused by heavy rain, led to the deaths of Tanya, Shreya Yadav, and Nevin Dalvin.

“We were in the library when water started flooding the building. About 10 to 12 students near the gate managed to escape, but 10 to 15 of us were trapped due to the strong current on the stairs,” Rishabh, a civil services aspirant from Rau’s IAS Study Circle, which began in June, told PTI.

He recounted how they had lost hope, believing they might all perish. “But Tanya, a batchmate, urged us to stay calm and said we would be rescued. She suggested forming a human chain, but we struggled to hold on due to the strong flow of water,” he said.

As the water continued to rise, Tanya and Shreya climbed onto a table. Rishabh found the courage to ascend the stairs and was assisted by a housekeeping staff member who helped him up. “Behind me, my friend Jaideep and others managed to escape. The staff later brought a rope to assist those still trapped,” he added.

Rishabh speculated that Tanya and Shreya might have hesitated to move towards the stairs due to the intensity of the water. He was unsure about Nevin’s location at the time, suspecting he might have been in the restroom.

He described the rapid escalation of the situation: “Within 5-10 seconds, we were in knee-deep water, and things worsened quickly. Nakul, who came out last, informed us that Tanya and Shreya were still inside. In just a few minutes, the library, which was over 13 feet high, was completely submerged.”

Rishabh, who lives with his parents in Ghaziabad, Uttar Pradesh, has paid ₹1.75 lakh for his one-year course at the institute. His father works in a private company, while his elder brother is employed in an IT firm in Noida. He acknowledged the efforts of the staff members, who played a crucial role in the rescue operation, despite the lack of a biometric lock system in the basement.

Rishabh also criticized the delayed response by the administration. “When the NDRF arrived around 10 pm, they said they couldn’t assist us due to a lack of equipment,” he claimed. He also suggested that the basement might have been constructed illegally but praised the faculty for their quick actions during the rescue.

In his struggle to escape, Rishabh sustained injuries from broken glass in the library. He received first aid and was subsequently taken to Ganga Ram Hospital for further treatment.

Rishabh expressed a desire for prompt justice for the victims and accountability for those responsible for the incident. He also hoped that the situation would not negatively impact him and his fellow students, who have paid substantial fees for their coaching.