Latest news with #UphaarCinema
Indian Express
2 days ago
- Indian Express
Uphaar Cinema fire tragedy: 28 years on, families demand justice
'We have a parallel criminal justice, one for the rich and powerful and one for the poor,' remarked Neelam Krishnamoorthy, the face of the campaign seeking justice for the victims of the 1997 Uphaar Cinema fire tragedy, in a prayer meeting held Friday at Smriti Upvan. This year marks the 28th anniversary of the fire accident that broke out on June 13, 1997, claiming 59 lives due to asphyxiation and leaving hundreds injured in the ensuing stampede. Families of the 59 people who died meet annually to remember their loved ones. Neelam and her husband, Shekhar Krishnamoorthy, lost their children — 17-year-old Unnati and 13-year-old Ujjwal — in the blaze. 'I have kept these pictures for 28 years, the irony is many family members have died since,' Neelam said while she took down photos of the deceased pinned on a soft board post the ceremony. As president of the Association of Victims of the Uphaar Tragedy (AVUT), she and her husband have led a long struggle for justice. 'The courts are testing my patience too, but I've not given up because I have promised my children that we will get justice for them,' she added. Commenting on the Air India plane crash in Ahmedabad, which claimed 241 lives yesterday, she said, 'A whistleblower had already raised that there were problems with Boeing, but nobody listened. Similarly, the cinema also ran for years despite violations of norms. When greed overtakes a company, it's ordinary people who are availing the services.' Questioning a city court's decision to reduce the jail term of the accused brothers and owners of the cinema hall, Gopal and Sushil, Neelam said, 'The judge said that the accused also suffered, but how can they compare it with the pain of a mother who lost both of her children? Had it been an ordinary citizen, he would've been languishing behind bars.' In July 2022, a Delhi court granted relief to the brothers, ordering their release from jail by asking them to serve only the sentence already undergone, in a case of tampering with evidence in the case. The court observed that a trial court had earlier passed a sentence that was 'punitive and retributive in nature' to teach them a lesson. In 2015, the Supreme Court imposed a Rs 60-crore fine on the accused brothers in lieu of a custodial sentence. The amount was deposited with the Delhi government and was earmarked for building a second trauma centre, in memory of the victims, as an extension of AIIMS in Dwarka. However, this project has remained stalled. 'They (the Supreme Court) actually awarded the government for its failure. They were given Rs 60 crores to build a second trauma centre, but there's no sign of it so far,' she said. Neelam has since approached the apex court enquiring about the trauma centre. Amidst calls for justice, the Uphaar cinema in Green Park stands bearing the marks of the blazing tragedy, with a warning sign that reads 'stay away.'
India Gazette
2 days 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
08-05-2025
- Hindustan Times
Uphaar Cinema tragedy: SC issues notice to Delhi govt on status of trauma centre
The Supreme Court on Wednesday sought the response of the Delhi government on the implementation of its decade-old order of developing a trauma centre in memory of the 59 victims of the Uphaar Cinema fire in June 1997. A desolate view of the Uphaar Cinema Hall that has remained sealed since the June 1997 fire incident which claimed 59 lives. (HT ARCHIVE) In September 2015, the top court ordered that the trauma centre be built using the ₹ 60 crore paid as compensationby Ansal brothers, the owners of Uphaar Cinema. On Wednesday, a bench headed by justice Surya Kant passed the order on an application filed by the Association of Victims of Uphaar Tragedy (AVUT). The association informed the court about its order of September 22, 2015 by which the trauma facility was required to be completed within two years. The AVUT, represented by advocate Diksha Rai, told the court that the issue not only highlights the non-compliance of the court order but also the larger issue of providing health care infrastructure. The bench, also comprising justice N Kotiswar Singh, said, 'What is the status of the trauma centre? Who is appearing for Delhi government?' On Rai's request, the court added the Delhi government as a party to the proceedings and issued notice seeking a response before the matter is next heard in July. The top court's judgment of September 2015 held the Ansal brothers, Gopal Ansal and Sushil Ansal, guilty of causing death due to negligence for the tragedy which took place on June 13, 1997. A three-judge bench sentenced them to two years' imprisonment with a rider that in lieu of the one-year sentence they had to further undergo, the same shall be substituted with a fine of ₹ 60 crore to be equally apportioned between the two brothers. The trauma facility was to come up at Dwarka in west Delhi. The application by AVUT said, 'While about 10 years have elapsed since the stipulated fine amount was deposited with the office of the chief secretary, government of NCT of Delhi on November 9, 2015, the trauma centre envisaged in this court's directions remains a non-starter, with no discernable steps having been taken towards its construction.' The AVUT has been waging a legal battle against the Ansals, and moved the aforesaid application this year in their pending appeal against a December 2008 Delhi high court order reducing the two-year sentence awarded to the Ansals to one year. The duo was convicted under sections 304-A (causing death due to negligence), 337 (endangering life), and 338 (causing grievous hurt) among other provisions of the Indian Penal Code. Initially, a two-judge bench of the Supreme Court heard the appeal, and on March 5, 2014 delivered a split verdict. While one judge affirmed the HC order, the other judge was of the view that the sentence be enhanced to the maximum of two years' rigorous imprisonment, but went on to add that the enhanced jail sentence of one year will be substituted with an exemplary fine of ₹ 100 crore. Due to the difference of opinion, the matter went to a three-judge bench which reduced the fine to ₹ 60 crore, to be shared equally by the Ansal brothers. Later, the association had filed a review petition which was dismissed by the top court in February 2017. However, the court reiterated that the money should be utilised for construction of a trauma hospital in memory of the victims. Since then, the association has filed several applications under the Right to Information Act to know about the progress of construction of the trauma centre, and even wrote a letter to the Chief Justice of India in 2021 to ensure the order of the court is implemented. 'There is no discernible progress in identification or allotment of a site suitable for construction of the trauma centre, commencement of construction, or utilization of the fine amount lying in the government treasury towards the purpose envisaged in this court's specific directive,' the application said. '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 court, reflects an alarming disregard not only towards judicial directions, but also towards the need for improved health care infrastructure,' it added.
