Justice still awaited 17 years after Uphaar tragedy

Even 17 years after the Uphaar Cinema tragedy -one of the worst fire tragedies which left 59 people dead- the law is yet to take its course on the accused.

Special prayers to mark the anniversary of the mishap wass organized in the capital today.

Neelam Krishnamoorthy, President of Association of the Victims of Uphaar Tragedy (AVUT) who lost her two children to the tragedy, told ANI, "It has been 17 years since the tragedy struck but they are still awaiting justice. This probably happens only in India that the wait for the justice takes up one's whole life, and they still don't get justice."

Krishnamoorthy said that she doesn't know how many more years will they have to wait for the sentencing, asserting that if there is a conviction now it will be said that the accused are now old, thereby they would be handed a lighter sentence.

She added that the hearing for the tragedies such as this should be completed in 1-2 years and the justice should be meted out quickly otherwise people's belief from the justice system will be over.

On June 13, 1997, 59 people were killed when the Uphaar Cinema exploded in flames during a movie, leading to a stampede.

The cinema was engulfed in flames when an overheated generator exploded in the building's basement.

Most of the victims were trapped in the balcony and suffocated to death.