Victims of the Uphaar cinema hall fire tragedy are going to hold a prayer meet tomorrow here to commemorate the death of 59 people who were killed in the incident 13 years ago.
“The past 13 years have been an excruciating legal battle for the relatives of 59 victims of a fire tragedy in the Uphaar cinema in New Delhi on Friday, June 13, 1997,” Association of Victims of the Uphaar Tragedy (AVUT) President Neelam Krishnamoorthy said.
“The recent fire incidents at Bangalore and Kolkata and the June 7 judgment in the Bhopal Gas tragedy have proved over and over again that for our policy makers and decision makers, human life is of little value”, said Ms. Krishnamoorthy who herself lost her two children in the fire tragedy.
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She expressed disappointment with the judgement of the Delhi High Court in the criminal appeal in which the sentence of the accused were reduced.
The Delhi High Court had on December 19, 2009 sentenced accused Sushil Ansal, Gopal Ansal and H. S. Panwar, a former Delhi Fire Service staff to one-year prison term. Three others-gate keeper Manmohan Unniyal, Delhi Vidyut Board employees Brij Mohan Satija and Bir Singh-were awarded two- year jail term.
The appeal against the High Court’s judgement is pending in the Supreme Court.
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