Families of Uphaar fire victims observe 10th ann

New Delhi, June 13: Holding of prayer meetings and shanti path today marked the observance of the tenth anniversary of the Uphaar fire tragedy which claimed 59 lives.

A memorial service was organised on the occasion opposite the Uphaar cinema by the Association of the Victims of Uphaar Tragedy (AVUT), comprising family members of the 59 people who lost their lives in the tragedy.

A 'havan', shanti path and bhajan (prayer meeting) was held at Smriti Upvan, the memorial built near the site of the tragedy to commemmorate the victims.

''It's been ten years and we are still awaiting justice,''Neelam Krishnamoorthy, AVUT president, who lost both her children in the accident, said.

Nearly 59 people had died and 103 were injured in the fire in the Uphaar cinema hall in Green Park in South Delhi in 1997 during the screening of the movie 'Border'.

The association of victims of Uphaar Tragedy had lodged an FIR against owners of the cinema hall Gopal and Sushil Ansal and 14 others including fire safety and MCD officers who had certified the place as safe from fire alleging negligence on their part.

Although the Delhi High Court held the owners of the building and several government agencies guilty of not adhering to safety norms at the cinema and slapped monetary penalties, the families of the victims were not satisfied.

UNI