Date:14/06/2004 URL: http://www.thehindu.com/2004/06/14/stories/2004061410060400.htm

New Delhi

Families remember Uphaar tragedy victims

By Our Staff Reporter

Relatives of the victims of Uphaar fire tragedy paying floral tributes on the seventh death anniversary near Uphaar cinema theatre in New Delhi on Sunday. Photo: R.V. Moorthy

NEW DELHI, JUNE 13. "It is a crime to ask for justice in this country. Our legal system allows accused to be accommodated and victims to be victimised.'' Holding aloft banners with these grim messages, the 28 families who had lost their loved ones in the Uphaar Cinema fire tragedy this day seven years ago today remembered the deceased at a prayer meeting organised at Shanti Upavan memorial in front of the cinema hall in South Delhi this morning.

It was during the matinee show on the first day of the release of Hindi movie, Border, on Friday, June 13, 1997 that a fire started by a faulty transformer snuffed out the lives of 59 people who had gone to the cinema hall for some entertainment. Devastated by the man-made tragedy, the 28 families came together to share their grief and formed the Association of the Victims of Uphaar Tragedy to fight against every act of injustice as also against the apathetic attitude of the civic authorities.

In a release issued here today, the AVUT convenor, Neelam Krishnamoorthy, said, "Seven years since the tragedy, public safety remains a low priority for our Government and society and we are collective victims of this carelessness''. Noting that "the legal battle continues and the justice seems to be a far cry'', she said the criminal case filed by the Central Bureau of Investigation in 1997 is still at the trial stage in spite of the fact that the Association got an order for day-to-day hearing in 2002 from the High Court.

"We at AVUT feel very cheated and frustrated at the accused are being accommodated at every level - be it adjournment or exemption from being present in the court. These tactics are adopted by the defence counsel to intentionally delay the proceedings.''

Further she said, a judgement was pronounced on April 24, 2002 in the civil writ filed by the Association holding Ansals, MCD, DVB and DCP (Licensing) responsible for the tragedy. But against the above judgement, MCD, DCP (Licensing) and Ansals have approached the Supreme Court. And while MCD and DCP have managed to get the leave granted, in the case of Ansals notices have been issued.

Stating that "when we see pervasive callous indifference to human suffering all around, a sting of pain festers one's conscience as to how legitimate our pretensions to civilisation are," Ms Krishnamoorthy hoped that ultimately the culprits will be brought to book and justice done to the victims of the tragedy.