In a recent hearing at Delhi’s Tis Hazari Court, Manuj Kathuria, the SUV driver involved in the deaths of three UPSC aspirants, was granted bail. The tragic incident occurred on July 27 in Old Rajendra Nagar when Kathuria drove his SUV through a rain-flooded street, allegedly causing a surge of water that breached the gates of Rauโs IAS Study Circle, flooding its basement where the victims were located.
Kathuria, a 50-year-old businessman, was arrested following the circulation of a video on social media, depicting his vehicle speeding past the coaching institute and subsequently damaging its gate. His wife, Shima Kathuria, defended him stating that he was merely dropping guests at a metro station and criticized the Delhi Police for unfairly targeting him.
Despite the severity of the allegations, Judicial Magistrate Vinod Kumar decided to grant Kathuria bail, acknowledging the complexities surrounding the case. In his previous ruling, Magistrate Kumar had rejected Kathuriaโs initial bail plea, highlighting the gravity of the accusations and the apparent disregard shown by Kathuria for warnings from passersby about the perilous conditions.
The decision to grant bail comes amid continued investigations and mounting public scrutiny over urban infrastructure and safety standards in the wake of the capitalโs severe weather impacts.
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The incident resulted in the deaths of two female and one male UPSC aspirants, who were trapped in the basement library of the coaching center during a heavy downpour, leading to a widespread debate over the responsibilities of vehicle owners and urban planners in managing emergency responses in flood-prone areas.
