Uphaar cinema tragedy: Awaiting judgement day

NEW DELHI: Neelam Krishnamoorthy doesn't pray to God any more. She just prays to her two children whom she lost in the devastating Uphaar cinema fire a decade ago and waits now for justice.

"Life has changed drastically since June 13, 1997. I was a thorough professional, a businesswoman and a doting mother. The day I lost my children (Unnati, 20, and Ujjwal, 13), I lost the entire purpose of my life. The only vision that I have is to get justice for my babies," Krishnamoorthy told.

For the 28 families who lost their near and dear ones - 59 people died - in the cinema theatre tragedy, 10 years might have rolled on, but the wounds are still as raw and the memories still as painful.

Now these families sombrely await court judgement Wednesday in the case against the key accused - the owners of the cinema, real estate tycoons Gopal and Sushil Ansal.

Additional Sessions Judge Mamta Sehgal of the Patiala House court is expected to pronounce her verdict against the other accused too, including officials of the erstwhile power utility Delhi Vidyut Board, the Delhi Fire Service and some employees of the realty company.

The tragedy took place when India was celebrating its 50th year of Independence and patriotism was on a high. So, when it was the first day screening of J.P. Dutta's war film "Border", people quite naturally flocked to the cinema hall to catch the comfortable second show of the movie, at 3.30 p.m.

A little over 20 minutes after the interval of the movie, the lights went off and the movie suddenly stopped. A heavy trail of smoke entered the hall thereafter, which pushed the panic button among the people.

What followed was madness and panic. Panic to escape the inevitable.

"I was watching the movie from the balcony. When the smoke started engulfing us, we ran towards the exit. The problem was that since the place was centrally air conditioned, there were no windows for the smoke to have an outlet.

"Some people escaped into the washrooms, while others were choked in the narrow staircase which was enveloped in smoke...it was a terrible sight," recalled Major Rajesh Pattu, one of the survivors of the tragedy.

Pattu had gone to watch the movie with his friend, Captain M. S. Bhinder, his wife and their son, all three of whom lost their lives in the fire.

"It was a panic attack. Captain Bhinder and I made a plan to rescue the people. I said that I will go down somehow and get help while he stayed behind and calmed the crowd.

"I did manage to go down, after breaking a window, climbing down the pipe and rescuing people on the way. But I was late...by the time I came back, it was too late," Pattu said, his confident voice breaking.

Later Pattu climbed up and down the building nearly 40 times, every time not sure whether he would come back alive, swinging sideways, breaking windows and rescuing scores of people. But he still regrets at not being able to save each one of the 59 people who died on that day.

Besides them, 103 people were injured.

Said Akshita Dey, another survivor says,"It was a minor fire, technically speaking. The accident was basically because of the mismanagement. I was sitting in a special box for the media and when people started rushing out of the hall, I kept looking down to find out what was happening.

"I didn't see the fire; so I was really confused. In fact I was one of the last people to leave the box. We escaped through the air conditioner's duct and managed to pull some kids along."

While those who survived live to tell their tales of horror, the family members of those who died pass each day with a burdening regret that they couldn't do anything to save their loved ones.

Neelam Krishnamoorthy, who lost her teenage daughter Unnati and son Ujjwal, is a  person altogether different from what she was a decade ago.

"I don't pray to god now...I pray to my children," said the grief stricken mother, steel in her voice.

Everything, from quitting her job to giving up her passion, cooking, had changed since then. Neelam's husband, Shekhar, who is good singer, gave up his singing as well.

There are no celebrations, no festivities in their house. The couple eats one meal a day. Neelam doesn't attend weddings because it reminds her that had her daughter been there, she would have been married and be a mother by now.

Innumerable visits to the court brought in disappointment in galore but one thing that the Krishnamoorthys didn't give up was hope.

"We have given up living in the true sense of it, but not hope. Whenever I am disappointed, I go to my kids' room and just sit there. I know they are with me," Neelam said.

The children's room has remained just the way the kids had left it before going for the movie. Every detail, from the manner in which the books were stacked to their music collection, even the bed sheet, has not been changed.

Now, when the judgement in the case is announced Wednesday, it will cap a long wait of 10 years of scores of bereaved family members and friends of the lost lives, like the Krishnamoorthys.

"I have been waiting for this day for a decade now. I hope my children get justice," Neelam said.