Unnati would have been 37 and Ujjwal 33 years old now had the Ansals, the owners of Uphaar theatre, cared about the safety of the cinemagoers visiting their property. Neelam Krishnamoorthy , the mother of the two teenagers who died in the June 13, 1997, fire that claimed 57 more lives, is spearheading a long-drawn fight for justice with no end in sight. Jatin Anand speaks to her on the eve of 20 years of Uphaar tragedy.
It’s been two decades since the Uphaar incident. Do you wish to share any thoughts about what you feel?
It seems like yesterday when my children — Unnati and Ujjwal — were with me. But reality kicks in when I come across anything related to the arduous legal battle that began after June 1997. There was some hope as the Association (Association of Victims of Uphaar Tragedy or AVUT) and I had waged this struggle over two decades, until last year when the courts decided that the Ansals could go free on account of their age. What I feel this evening is not just the pain because of the loss of my children and the lives of several others, but also the pain of the faith shattered in the judiciary. It is a very sad day for each of us. Tomorrow [Tuesday] we will pray together to seek forgiveness from the souls of our departed family members because we have failed them, because praying that they rest in peace is the only option left.
Given a chance, would you have done anything differently in your pursuit for justice over the last 20 years?
Certainly. I wish I had picked up a gun and shot those responsible for the deaths of my children and 59 others instead of going to the courts and relying on them for justice. I wouldn’t have even bothered to go on the run afterwards, I would have pleaded guilty and preferred to serve a sentence for murder. I would have been out of jail by now had this happened.
In your opinion, have any lessons been learnt to prevent a similar incident?
I remember Uphaar each time there is a fire incident. For me, many Uphaars have happened since 1997, and many more may happen because we still compromise on safety laws. In fact, I feel more pained and anguished every time I see television discussions revolving around proposed laws against the killing of animals, even as repeated pleas to bring in a stringent law against man-made disasters fall on deaf ears.
Twenty years on, do you feel the city is better equipped to deal with an incident like Uphaar?
There is a long, long way to go before one can even think of making such a statement. The Fire Department definitely needs to be better equipped, besides being given better training. Also there must be more transparency when it comes to the fire safety condition of buildings. In Goa, for instance, a software has been developed to check the [fire] safety status of buildings online. A similar facility is needed in Delhi. People have a right to know how safe the building they are visiting actually is.
You were recently tendered an apology for an incident related to the case back in 1997.
The so-called apology is vague. Those accused of threatening me aren’t even admitting that they did something wrong. I’m seeking legal opinion in the matter. It has been listed for hearing on July 1.
The accused have filed a mercy petition with the President. What are you views on this and its possible outcome?
A government considering life for killing an animal will consider clemency for those responsible for the deaths of 59 persons and injuries to countless others? How and why must they even consider a petition as blatant and undeserving as theirs?
Do you still plan to file a curative petition in relation to the verdict in the main case?
We will definitely file a curative petition. Also, another case, one of breach of trust related to the tampering of evidence, is under way. I just hope that after the final conviction in this case, the courts don’t say that the accused are too old to go behind bars. After all, this a crime against the court and seemingly more grave than their crime against me.
