UPSC coaching death: Wife of arrested SUV driver defends husband
What's the story
The wife of a Delhi businessman, arrested for driving his SUV through a flooded street near the IAS coaching center where three students died, has defended him against rash driving allegations. Shima Kathuria told news agency ANI that her husband Manuj was only trying to reach a "safe spot" during heavy rain. "There was no rash driving; the video is clear. My husband was not speeding," she said.
Defense statement
Wife defends husband's actions amid allegations
Shima blamed the authorities for the negligence that led to the deaths of three UPSC aspirants. "The coaching institute owner was running a library there when they had a NOC only for storage. When there was severe waterlogging on the roads, police should have cordoned off the roads," Shima added. Manuj is among the seven people arrested in connection with the incident.
Incident recap
Tragic incident leads to three student deaths
The incident in question occurred last week during a heavy rainstorm that resulted in severe waterlogging on the streets outside the coaching center. The basement library of the building, where 20 students were trapped, became flooded. While 17 students were rescued in time, three unfortunately drowned. Police allege that Manuj's high-speed driving caused water to rush toward the coaching center, leading to a gate break and subsequent flooding of the basement.