Uphaar fire tragedy case: Supreme Court reserves order

The Supreme Court on Wednesday reserved its order on a review petition filed by the Association of Victims of Uphaar Tragedy (AVUT), seeking imprisonment of real estate barons Sushil and Gopal Ansal in the Uphaar fire tragedy case that took place in Green Park locality here on June 13, 1997.

Earlier the Ansal brothers had assured the apex court headed by Justice Ranjan Gogoi that they won't flee the country till the review petition was disposed off.

Fifty-nine people trapped in the balcony class of the theatre had died due to asphyxia and more than 100 were injured in the subsequent stampede following a fire that broke out during the 3-6 p.m. (Matinee show) screening of Hindi movie 'Border' on June 13, 1997.

Neelam and Sekhar Krishnamoorthy, who lost their daughter Unnati and son Ujwal in the tragedy eighteen years ago, are fighting the case from lower courts to the India's highest court for the justice to the victims.

The Krishnamurthys have sought more stringent punishment so that such incidents could not happen again.

Hearing the case on December 6, the apex court issued a notice to Ansal brothers on the plea of AVUT, seeking an order to restrain them from flying abroad and fixed December 14 as the date for next hearing.