Victims' families distraught at postponement of Uphaar verdict

New Delhi, Sep 5 (UNI) For the families of the victims of the Uphaar tragedy, today's court decision to postpone ruling to October 22, has come as a ''disappointment''.

''We were looking forward to this day with hope that justice will be done, but it is another date that we got,'' said Kamal Bhalla, who lost her husband in the tragedy.

It has already been a ten year-long wait for the families of the 59 people who died of asphyxiation on June 13, 1997 during the screening of the film 'Border' at the theatre.

The families have fought the trial together for over a decade under the umbrella of the Association of Victims of Uphaar Tragedy (AVUT).

Another distraught father Rajendra Singh Rahi said he had been looking forward to this day with hope but was disappointed. ''I lost my 15-year-old son in the fire incident. He had gone for the film to celebrate his birthday and met his death. It was a long and distressing trial and we thought there should an end to this saga.'' Shekhar Krishnamoorthy, who lost his two children to the fire, however, was optimistic that there will be deliverance of justice.

He said the reasons cited by Additional Sessions Judge Mamta Sehgal while reserving the order, were logical.''She needed time to go through the voluminous documents. We understand that and hope that justice will be done.'' He also said,''Since we have waited for so long, we can do so for another one and half months,'' he added.

UNI