Pimpri-Chinchwad: The Alandi Municipal Council on Friday sealed the premises of Winners Academy Coaching Classes after finding that the institute had not obtained the mandatory business No-Objection Certificate (NOC) from the civic body. The action came a day after eight students from the academy drowned during a picnic to Diveagar in Raigad district.
The municipal council issued a written order directing its Tax Department to seal the premises. The order states that Winners Academy was operating from Property No. Old 1137 and New ALAND0001729, owned by Narayan Haribhau Dhas. The civic body said its records did not show that Winners Academy had obtained the required business NOC or trade licence to operate from the premises.
Only academy premises sealed
Alandi Municipal Council Tax Officer Seema Charbhe said Chief Officer Madhav Khandekar ordered the sealing after the academy failed to obtain the required business NOC. Khandekar, Charbhe and municipal staff then visited the academy and acted.
Charbhe said the building also has residential portions, which were not sealed. Only the areas being used by the academy were sealed. “Only the academy area was sealed. There are residential portions in the building. Excluding those, the academy’s office and class spaces were sealed,” Charbhe said. The action covered two doors used by the academy, she said. The municipal notice was also posted on the premises as part of the sealing action.
Academy failed to obtain business NOC
According to the order issued by Khandekar, Winners Academy was required to obtain a business NOC from the municipal council every year. The civic body said the institute had failed to obtain the required permission. Charbhe said Khandekar specifically instructed the Tax Department to take action after the academy failed to obtain the NOC.
The order directs officials to take action under the Maharashtra Municipal Councils, Nagar Panchayats and Industrial Townships Act, 1965, and other applicable laws. It also directs officials to prepare a panchnama, take photographs and make the necessary official record entries during the sealing process. The Alandi Police Station was asked to provide police bandobast during the action to maintain law and order.
Action follows questions over two-year operation
The sealing comes after civic officials said Winners Academy had been operating in Alandi for nearly two years without municipal registration. Chief Officer Khandekar had earlier said the branch was established after a survey of private tuition classes conducted around two years ago. Since the branch came up after the survey, it was not registered with the council, he said.
He had also said officials were checking whether the building had valid permissions and whether a rent agreement existed. The latest sealing order specifically records the absence of a business NOC or trade licence as the basis for the action. The civic body has not stated in the order whether the building itself is unauthorised.
Other institutes to face scrutiny
The action against Winners Academy is expected to be followed by a wider inspection of private coaching institutes in Alandi. Municipal council president Prashant Kurade had said notices would be issued to educational institutes to check whether they were complying with government rules.
Khandekar had also said the civic body would conduct a preliminary survey of other institutions and shut down those found operating without registration. Kurade had acknowledged criticism that authorities often act only after an incident. He said any institute found operating outside the legal framework would face strict action.
Eight students drowned during Diveagar trip
The action comes as Alandi mourns the deaths of eight students who drowned during the Winners Academy picnic on Thursday. A total of 42 students had travelled to Diveagar, including 17 girls and 25 boys, according to Alandi Police Inspector Bhima Narke.
Eight boys drowned after entering the sea at around 3 pm. Police said the students apparently misjudged the depth of the water and the strength of the current. The remaining 34 students returned to Alandi early Friday morning. They reached Alandi Police Station at around 6.30 am and were handed over to their parents.
The eight victims were identified as Yash Kiran Wankhede, Soham Tukaram Bhandwalkar, Tanmay Dattatray Vahile, Kaustubh Sandeep Daund, Kaivalya Satish Wasankar, Rajveer Yuvraj Vahile, Pranav Ramdas Bansode and Sumit Bharat Ahire.
All eight bodies have now reached Alandi after post-mortem and other legal formalities in Raigad. The mortal remains of Kaustubh Sandeep Daund have been sent to Rahuri for his final rites, while Yash Kiran Wankhede’s body has been sent to Amravati. The final rites of the remaining six victims were conducted in Alandi. The town is observing a bandh on Friday following the deaths.
Investigation into picnic continues
An Accidental Death Report has been registered at Diveagar Police Station. Narke said the academy’s director had travelled with the students. Education department officials have also visited the academy and collected information.
Teachers and students are expected to be questioned as part of the inquiry. The students had visited Raigad Fort before travelling to Diveagar. Later, eight boys entered the sea and were swept into deeper water. Teachers, residents and water-sports operators joined the rescue effort. The eight students were brought ashore, but attempts to revive them failed.
The academy had around 40 to 50 students and offered coaching for competitive examinations such as NEET and JEE. With the premises now sealed, the municipal administration will discuss the students’ future with their parents and the academy’s directors. Khandekar said officials would explore shifting the students to other authorised coaching institutes. The issue of fee refunds will also be discussed.
The administration plans to hold discussions with the parents within two days. Meanwhile, Kurade has sought financial assistance for the families of the eight victims from the state government and local leaders. The sealing of Winners Academy adds a fresh regulatory dimension to the Diveagar tragedy, with the civic body now taking action over the academy’s failure to obtain the required business permission.
