Coaching centre runs classes defying closure order during rains in Shimla, to be booked

Shimla, Sept 6 (PTI) Shimla District Magistrate Anupam Kashyap on Saturday directed the police to register an FIR against a coaching centre here, which carried on with regular classes in violation of an order for closure of educational institutions during heavy rains.

The District Magistrate (DM), in his capacity as head of the District Disaster Management Authority, had ordered the closure of all educational institutions, including coaching centres, on September 3 and 4 in view of heavy rains.

However, the district administration came to know through media reports that Aspire Coaching Centre in Sanjauli was conducting classes in violation of the order.

DM Kashyap sent Additional District Magistrate (Law and Order) Pankaj Sharma and Tehsildar Apoorv Sharma to inspect the centre. They found that classes were going on in the premises.

The team checked mobile phones of students and found messages sent by the coaching centre asking them to attend classes. When questioned, Rajesh Kumar, the operations head of the coaching centre, said that these classes were held only for hostel residents. However, the team found that many of the students were not residing in the hostel. A detailed report was submitted to the DM, according to an official release.

The probe team also took photographs, made videos, and collected other evidence.

The DM then directed the Shimla Superintendent of Police to register a case under Sections 51, 52 and 53 of the Disaster Management Act, 2005.

Under the provisions of the Act, a person could face fine and imprisonment for violation. PTI BPL RUK RUK