The First Information Report (FIR) registered over the Aliganj building fire in Lucknow, which claimed 15 lives, has alleged that the premises were being operated as a commercial establishment without adequate fire safety arrangements, emergency exits, or measures to prevent smoke accumulation, police said on Tuesday.
Details of the FIR
The FIR, lodged at Aliganj police station under sections 105 (culpable homicide not amounting to murder), 110 (attempt to commit culpable homicide), 125 (rash or negligent act endangering human life) of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS) and provisions of the Uttar Pradesh Fire and Emergency Services Act, names four accused and others.
Those named include building owner Virendra Prasad Shukla (62), pet shop operator Ram Krishna Upadhyay (43), animation centre operator Tushar Krishna Jaiswal (31), and Suresh Kumar Sahoo. All four have been arrested, officials confirmed.
Building Layout and Cause of Fire
According to the FIR, the three-storey building located in Sector D of Aliganj housed a pet shop and a clinic on the ground and first floors respectively, a video gaming zone and a 3D animation centre on the second floor, and an IT networking office on the third floor. The fire broke out around 2:30 pm on June 22 at the pet shop and clinic, prompting rescue operations by firefighters, SDRF, NDRF, and police personnel.
Allegations of Negligence
The complaint alleged that the building owners and persons associated with the establishments "had not made any arrangements for fire safety" and that there was "no arrangement for immediate emergency exit or entry" in the building. "It had only one main route for entry and exit, and there was no other exit door or emergency door," the FIR stated.
The FIR further alleged that the electrical arrangements were "highly irregular" and that there was no system to allow smoke to escape. It also stated that air-conditioner outdoor units and electrical equipment were installed inside the premises in an unsafe manner, and "no safety measures were maintained to deal with such emergencies."
Due to these shortcomings, fire personnel, police, and disaster response teams had to cut through walls to enter the building and rescue people. "The owners and managers were aware that in such emergencies, lives could be lost, but despite this, negligence was shown, and the lives of others were put at risk," the FIR alleged.
Casualties and Investigation
The blaze resulted in the death of 15 people, mostly students, due to suffocation and burns, while nine others were injured and admitted to the King George's Medical University (KGMU) Trauma Centre. The deceased have been identified as Sagar, Nilesh, Anamika, Sanyam, Anuchha, Sukhmani, Aditya Srivastava, Jyoti, Bhavishya, Abdul Rahman, Suraj Bhaah, Bhaahjan, Jaynil Chakraborty, Mohammad Ammar, and Sumalya.
Police said that further legal action is under way. The FIR also includes unnamed persons allegedly responsible for the incident. While a police probe continues, the Uttar Pradesh government has separately formed a two-member Special Investigation Team (SIT), which began its investigation on Tuesday morning. The SIT will submit its report to the government within seven days, panel member and ADG Lucknow Zone Praveen Kumar told reporters.
