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The Print
a day ago
- The Print
Uphaar fire tragedy: 28 years on, families still miss loved ones, demand accountability
There were prayers, moments of silence, emotional recollections, and a renewed appeal for justice and accountability, AVUT, in a statement, said. The memorial, organised by the Association of Victims of Uphaar Tragedy (AVUT), saw grieving families, friends, and supporters streaming to the south Delhi area to remember their loved ones. New Delhi, Jun 13 (PTI) The Uphaar cinema fire tragedy victims' kin gathered at Smriti Upavan in Green Park on Friday to mark 28 years of the horrific incident that claimed 59 lives and injured more than 100. 'It has been 28 years, and we are still waiting for answers, for closure, for justice that feels complete,' said Neelam Krishnamoorthy, president of AVUT, who lost her two teenage children in the fire. 'Every year we come here not just to mourn, but to remind the system that such a tragedy must never happen again,' she said. In 1997, a fire broke out during a screening of the film Border at the Uphaar cinema hall. Locked exits and a delayed rescue led to dozens of people getting trapped inside, many of them young. AVUT has since fought a legal battle to hold those responsible to account. The fight revealed major gaps in the cinema halls' safety apparatus, such as the lack of emergency preparedness and a trauma centre in Delhi. The setting up of Jai Prakash Narayan Apex Trauma Centre, which has been functioning for 18 years, is a result of that legal battle. The Supreme Court in 2015 imposed a Rs 60 crore fine on the Ansal brothers, the owners of the theatre, instead of a jail term. The amount was meant to fund another trauma centre, an extension of AIIMS in Dwarka, but that project is still pending, according to the statement. 'It is heartbreaking to see something so critical stuck in limbo. Lives depend on it,' Krishnamoorthy said. As they lit candles and laid flowers, families said they would keep returning to this place until the system changes, and until public safety becomes more than just a promise. PTI SHB VN VN This report is auto-generated from PTI news service. ThePrint holds no responsibility for its content.
Hindustan Times
a day ago
- Hindustan Times
Uphaar fire tragedy: 28 years on, families still miss loved ones, demand accountability
New Delhi, The Uphaar cinema fire tragedy victims' kin gathered at Smriti Upavan in Green Park on Friday to mark 28 years of the horrific incident that claimed 59 lives and injured more than 100. The memorial, organised by the Association of Victims of Uphaar Tragedy , saw grieving families, friends, and supporters streaming to the south Delhi area to remember their loved ones. There were prayers, moments of silence, emotional recollections, and a renewed appeal for justice and accountability, AVUT, in a statement, said. "It has been 28 years, and we are still waiting for answers, for closure, for justice that feels complete," said Neelam Krishnamoorthy, president of AVUT, who lost her two teenage children in the fire. "Every year we come here not just to mourn, but to remind the system that such a tragedy must never happen again," she said. In 1997, a fire broke out during a screening of the film Border at the Uphaar cinema hall. Locked exits and a delayed rescue led to dozens of people getting trapped inside, many of them young. AVUT has since fought a legal battle to hold those responsible to account. The fight revealed major gaps in the cinema halls' safety apparatus, such as the lack of emergency preparedness and a trauma centre in Delhi. The setting up of Jai Prakash Narayan Apex Trauma Centre, which has been functioning for 18 years, is a result of that legal battle. The Supreme Court in 2015 imposed a ₹60 crore fine on the Ansal brothers, the owners of the theatre, instead of a jail term. The amount was meant to fund another trauma centre, an extension of AIIMS in Dwarka, but that project is still pending, according to the statement. "It is heartbreaking to see something so critical stuck in limbo. Lives depend on it," Krishnamoorthy said. As they lit candles and laid flowers, families said they would keep returning to this place until the system changes, and until public safety becomes more than just a promise.
India Gazette
a day ago
- India Gazette
28 years of Uphaar cinema tragedy: Families remember victims, demand action
New Delhi [India], June 13 (ANI): On the 28th anniversary of the Uphaar Cinema fire, grieving families and the Association of Victims of Uphaar Tragedy (AVUT) gathered at Smriti Upavan, the memorial site in Green Park Extension, to honor the 59 lives lost on June 13, 1997. This year, the anniversary once again falls on Friday the 13th, mirroring the tragic day when a fire during a film screening turned into one of Delhi's worst man-made disasters. The commemoration was marked by prayers, heartfelt tributes, and renewed calls for justice and accountability. 'For 28 years, we have carried the grief of our loved ones and the burden of a system that continues to fail its citizens,' said Neelam Krishnamoorthy, President of AVUT. She added, 'This is not just a day of mourning--it is a protest against institutional negligence and the apathy that allowed this tragedy to happen.' The Uphaar fire remains a stark reminder of fire safety lapses, regulatory failures, and administrative indifference. Even decades later, the battle for justice continues. Following the tragedy, AVUT filed a civil writ petition in the Delhi High Court demanding trauma care facilities for the city. This led to the establishment of the Jai Prakash Narayan Apex Trauma Centre, which has served the public for 18 years. In a criminal appeal, the Supreme Court in 2015 imposed a Rs 60 crore fine on the Ansal brothers--owners of Uphaar Cinema--in lieu of a custodial sentence. The funds were allocated to build a second trauma centre at AIIMS Dwarka, but the project remains stalled. 'Nearly a decade after the Supreme Court's directive, the Dwarka trauma centre has yet to be built. This is a betrayal--not just to the Uphaar families, but to every citizen relying on timely emergency care,' Krishnamoorthy stated. AVUT continues its legal efforts, urging swift government action to complete the facility. As the nation reflects on this painful chapter, AVUT calls on authorities and civil society to prioritize public safety, strengthen fire regulations, and uphold the sanctity of human life. The Uphaar tragedy must never be allowed to repeat. (ANI)
Hindustan Times
2 days ago
- Hindustan Times
Delhi: No trauma centre for Uphaar Cinema fire later victims, ₹60cr fine missing
Twenty-eight years after the Uphaar cinema fire claimed 59 lives and wounded over 100 others, the trauma centre promised in memory of the victims remains missing. Victims' families said the absence of the facility — despite ₹60 crore collected from Gopal Ansal and Sushil Ansal, cinema owners who were convicted in the case, nearly a decade ago — on the Supreme Court's orders underscores the indifference to justice and public safety. The trauma centre was to be built in west Delhi's Dwarka within two years of a 2015 SC directive, using fines paid by the Ansal brothers. The plan was clear: the Delhi government was to allocate at least five acres of land and construct a state-of-the-art trauma centre in one of the city's most accident-prone areas. Yet today, no foundation stone has been laid, and the ₹60 crore — now estimated to have grown to over ₹100 crore with interest — remains unaccounted for. 'For decades, we have fought a legal battle for only two things: one, to get justice for our children, and another, that the tragedy can help bring some change,' said Neelam Krishnamoorthy, whose children -- Unnati, 17, and Ujjwal, 13 -- were among the 59 who were killed in the fire in the south Delhi hall where Sunny Deol starrer Border was being screened. She leads the Association of Victims of Uphaar Tragedy (AVUT). 'We're not asking for favours. All we want is that the fine deposited by the Ansals be used to make the trauma centre, which will be very beneficial for the residents of Delhi and, in times of any incidents like this, can help save lives,' she said. 'AVUT members now fear that we are getting old, we do not know whether we will be here tomorrow or not, and so no one will be there to question the government. Hence, we are raising the issue and want the government to act on it,' she said. In a landmark judgment in August 2015, the Supreme Court, instead of sending the Ansals back to prison, ordered them to pay ₹30 crore each. The court directed the Delhi government to use this money to build a trauma facility in memory of the victims. The order called for a 'Victims of Uphaar Memorial Trauma Centre' with a dedicated burns ward and accident services. The money was deposited with the Delhi government in November 2015. Yet nearly 10 years later, the families say they have been met with silence and bureaucratic apathy. In multiple RTI queries filed in 2019 and again in 2024, departments including the Chief Secretary's office, the health ministry, the law department, and the Directorate General of Health Services responded saying that the information 'is not available' or 'does not pertain' to them. 'The state has neither allotted land nor offered any explanation,' said Shekhar Krishnamoorthy, another AVUT member who lost both children in the fire. 'We are left wondering whether anyone will be held accountable, or if time and delay will again erase the promise of justice.' AVUT has now approached the Supreme Court again, urging it to push for the implementation of its 2015 order. On April 22 this year, the court issued notice to the Delhi government, seeking a response. The next hearing is scheduled for July 16. HT reached out to an official in the chief minister's office for a response, but the official did not respond till the time of going to print. For the families, the centre is not merely symbolic. 'This is not just about memory,' Neelam said. 'This is about public health. This is about preventing the next Uphaar.'
India Gazette
08-05-2025
- India Gazette
Uphar Tragedy: SC issues notice to Delhi government over delay in construction of trauma centre
New Delhi [India], May 8 (ANI): The Supreme Court on Wednesday issued notice to the Delhi government over a plea that sought a delay in the construction of a trauma centre in memory of the victims of the Uphaar fire tragedy that took the lives of 59 people. While allowing the plea filed by the association of victims in the Uphaar tragedy (AVUT), a bench of Justices Surya Kant and N Kotiswar Singh issued notices to the respondents, the Ansal brothers, and the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI).The bench also allowed the AVUT's request to implead the Delhi government in the case and issued notice to it. As per the 2015 judgment of the Supreme Court in this case, a fine of Rs 60 crores was imposed on the Ansal Brothers (owners of Uphaar cinema) after they were found guilty of criminal negligence that had led to the tragedy. The amount was subsequently deposited with the Delhi government's Chief Secretary to construct a trauma centre in memory of the victims. However, on Wednesday, the association of victims in the Uphaar tragedy (AVUT) informed the Supreme Court that ten years had elapsed since the Court's direction in this regard, and no progress has been made to date. 'The funds allocated for the Trauma Centre continue to remain unutilized, and the proposed facility remains a mere concept on paper. The continued inaction and lethargy exhibited by the concerned authorities, despite the clear mandate of this Hon'ble Court, reflects an alarming disregard not only towards judicial directions, but also towards the need for improved healthcare infrastructure', the plea reads. After hearing submissions in the matter on Wednesday, the top court sought the response of the aforesaid parties in the case. Advocate Diksha Rai represented AVUT in the matter. After the Ansal brothers were found guilty of criminal negligence, they were sentenced to two-years of rigorous imprisonment by the top-court. However, subsequently one-year sentence was reduced on the condition that the Ansal's jointly deposit a fine of Rs 60 crores with the government. The fine was directed to be paid by way of a demand draft to the Chief Secretary of the Delhi Government within three months and was directed to be used for the purpose of establishing a trauma centre. (ANI)
