Heavy rains in Delhi have resulted in tragedy, with at least three lives lost in the span of 12 hours due to incidents of tree falls and wall collapses. The incidents have triggered a political storm, with the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) demanding the resignation of the Public Works Department (PWD) Minister, Parvesh Sahib Singh Verma, holding him responsible for the "criminal negligence" and the lack of preparedness that led to these fatalities.

The recent spell of heavy rainfall caused widespread disruption across the capital. In Kalkaji, a massive tree uprooted and fell on vehicles, resulting in the death of a 50-year-old man and causing a pelvic fracture to his daughter. In Vasant Vihar, a wall collapse claimed the lives of two boys. The wall, belonging to the Delhi Development Authority (DDA), is suspected to have weakened due to prolonged rain and waterlogging.

The AAP has been vocal in its criticism of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP)-led administration's handling of the situation. AAP leader Atishi has demanded PWD Minister Parvesh Verma's resignation, citing the government's failure to adequately prepare the city for the monsoon season. She pointed to the fact that the government's claims of desilting being carried out across the city have been proven false, as heavy rains have led to waterlogging in numerous areas. Atishi accused the BJP government of leaving the city unprepared for waterlogging, tree collapses and stranded vehicles in flooded underpasses. She stated that the rain-related incidents have caused 20 deaths so far and questioned who would take the responsibility.

The Delhi BJP, on the other hand, has accused AAP leaders of politicizing the unfortunate incidents. Delhi BJP President Virendra Sachdeva stated that even a single death due to waterlogging or wall collapse is deeply unfortunate, and the BJP government treats such incidents with the seriousness and sensitivity they deserve. He criticized Atishi's demand for the PWD minister's resignation as insensitive politics, particularly in light of the previous year where nearly 50 people lost their lives.

Adding to the crisis, an earlier incident on August 9th saw seven people killed and one injured when a wall collapsed in Jaitpur due to heavy overnight rain. Many of the victims were migrant workers from West Bengal. The downpour also caused waterlogging in several parts of Delhi-NCR, leading to traffic jams and reports of minor wall collapses and tree falls.

The police are investigating the structural condition of the wall that collapsed in Vasant Vihar, its ownership, and any possible negligence. The DDA has been informed, and a detailed inspection of the site will be conducted to assess the structural safety of nearby walls.