Lucknow Fire Live: CM Yogi Adityanath orders suspension of 4 officials

Police have arrested a fourth accused in connection with the devastating fire in Lucknow's Aliganj area that killed 15 people. The accused, Suresh Kumar Sahu, a resident of Keshavnagar under the Madiaon police station limits, was taken into custody as the investigation into the incident continues.

Lucknow Development Authority (LDA) Vice-Chairman Prathamesh Kumar has constituted a five-member team to investigate the fire incident that claimed 15 lives in the city's Aliganj area. The panel, led by Gyanendra Verma and comprising K.K. Gautam, Manvendra Singh, Manoj Sagar and Ravinandan Singh, will examine all aspects of the case. Earlier in the day, an Assistant Engineer (AE) and a Junior Engineer (JE) of the LDA were suspended on the directions of Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath.

Police have taken major action in connection with the devastating fire in Lucknow's Aliganj area, registering a case against six named accused and other persons found responsible. The FIR has been lodged at Aliganj police station under various provisions of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS) and the Uttar Pradesh Fire Service Act.

So far, three people have been arrested in the case. The arrested accused have been identified as Ramakrishna Upadhyay, Virendra Prasad Shukla and Tushank Krishna Jaiswal.

Acting on the directions of Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath, four officials have been suspended with immediate effect in connection with the fire tragedy.

Those suspended include Gaurav Kumar, Executive Engineer (Collection), Jankipuram; Kamalendra Kumar Singh, Food Safety and Standards Officer (FSSO), Indira Nagar; Anil Kumar, Assistant Engineer (AE); and Pramod Pandey, Junior Engineer (JE).

The action was taken as part of the government's response to the incident, with authorities examining possible lapses and accountability.

During the fire rescue operation, police personnel climbed onto the roof of an adjacent building and attempted to break through the wall of the multi-storey structure to reach those trapped inside. Visuals from the scene show officers using hammers to breach the wall and create an access point, allowing rescue teams to reach victims more quickly and accelerate evacuation efforts amid the emergency.

Fresh details have emerged about the building in Lucknow's Aliganj area where the deadly fire occurred. According to records, the 1,992-square-foot property was allotted through a lottery in 1980 and later changed hands multiple times before being transferred to Virendra Pratap Shukla and Surendra Pratap Shukla in 2013. The Lucknow Development Authority (LDA) approved a residential building plan for the property on August 20, 2014.

In 2016, the LDA initiated legal proceedings alleging unauthorised construction and issued a demolition order on May 10 that year. However, the order was revoked on July 5, 2016, after the owners challenged it, claiming the construction conformed to the approved plan. Following the fire tragedy, authorities are once again examining the building's approvals, construction status and compliance with safety norms.

According to sources, police have taken the main accused in connection with the fire tragedy into custody. The action reportedly followed an initial inquiry and examination of evidence related to the incident.

Sources said the accused was detained as investigators intensified efforts to determine responsibility for the fire. Further questioning and legal action are expected as the probe progresses.

The probe panel has been tasked with conducting a comprehensive investigation into all aspects of the incident, including the cause of the fire, adherence to safety norms, statutory approvals granted to the building and any possible negligence.

The SIT has been directed to identify the role of individuals and institutions linked to the incident and submit a detailed report to the state government within seven days.

The government has stated that those found responsible for the tragedy will face strict action and that no one involved will be spared.

Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath has constituted a two-member Special Investigation Team (SIT) to probe the deadly fire incident in Lucknow.

The SIT comprises Amrit Abhijat, Additional Chief Secretary of the Tourism, Religious Affairs and Culture Department, and Praveen Kumar, Additional Director General of Police (ADG), Lucknow Zone. The decision was taken following a high-level review meeting chaired by the Chief Minister in the aftermath of the tragedy.

Defence Minister Rajnath Singh arrived in Lucknow on Monday following the devastating fire incident. He is scheduled to visit the site of the blaze to review the situation and assess the ongoing response efforts. Thereafter, Singh will proceed to King George's Medical University (KGMU), where he will meet the injured victims and enquire about their condition.

According to official records, the building where the fire broke out had originally received approval from the Lucknow Development Authority (LDA) as a residential property. However, it was allegedly converted into a commercial complex in 2014.

Documents reportedly show that the property is registered in the names of Virendra Prasad Shukla and his brothers, Surendra Shukla and Dhirendra Shukla. Virendra Prasad Shukla is also said to be associated with the ownership of Rameshwaram Engineering College.

King George's Medical University (KGMU) Vice Chancellor Sonia Nityanand said that 15 bodies were brought to the hospital following the fire incident. Speaking to India Today Tv, she added that one student sustained a serious spinal injury, with reports indicating the student's waist/back was fractured, while other injured victims are undergoing treatment.

The Vice Chancellor further said that Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath had directed hospital authorities to ensure proper medical care for all those injured and stressed that strict action should be taken against those found responsible for the tragedy.

Officials pointed to existing fire safety regulations, under which buildings less than 15 metres in height and spread across an area of less than 500 square metres are not required to obtain a fire department No Objection Certificate (NOC). According to preliminary information, the commercial complex fell within these parameters.

Authorities said the building owner had never applied for a fire NOC, allegedly taking advantage of the exemption available under the rules. The role of the building management and compliance with safety norms are expected to be examined as part of the investigation.

The mother of Aditya Srivastava, who died in the Lucknow building fire, said she reached the site around 2:20 pm amid chaos following the incident. She said her 25-year-old son, who worked at an animation studio, could not be reached as calls went unanswered.

Recalling the moment, she said timely attention could have saved lives. “If there had been a little attention, my son would be alive today. My world has been destroyed,” she said, adding that she saw the situation unfold on arrival at the site.

After visiting the incident site and the King George’s Medical University (KGMU), the Chief Minister called a high-level meeting at his official residence. The meeting is currently underway with senior officials in attendance. During the meeting, the Chief Minister said accountability must be fixed, according to officials present.

Uttar Pradesh DGP Rajiv Krishna and Additional Chief Secretary (Home) Sanjay Prasad will submit a detailed report to the Chief Minister on the Lucknow incident. Officials said further action will be taken after the findings of the two senior officers are reviewed.

People who escaped the fire or suffered minor injuries told Aajtak that most of those present at the site were young artists and employees working there. They said the victims included “youngsters” who were present at their workplace when the incident broke out.

The Chief Minister announced financial assistance of Rs 5 lakh each for the families of those who lost their lives in the fire tragedy. He also announced compensation of Rs 50,000 each for those injured in the incident.

Union Home Minister Amit Shah expressed grief over the fire tragedy in Lucknow, describing the incident as extremely tragic and heartbreaking.

In a post on social media, Shah conveyed his condolences to the families of those who lost their lives in the incident and prayed for strength for the bereaved relatives to cope with their loss. He also wished a speedy recovery to those injured in the fire.

Uttar Pradesh Deputy Chief Minister Brajesh Pathak became emotional while speaking about the Lucknow fire tragedy, breaking down as he recounted the scenes he witnessed and the bodies of victims recovered from the fire-hit building.

The Chief Minister assured the bereaved families that no official found responsible would be spared. He told the victims' families that strict action would be taken against every official found accountable for the tragedy.

The Chief Minister reportedly pulled up fire department officials over the phone following the incident and directed authorities to ensure that those responsible for the tragedy are not spared under any circumstances.

He also instructed officials to take strict action against anyone found negligent and to fix accountability for the incident.

Providing an update on the Lucknow coaching centre fire, Dr Amiya Agrawal, Medical Superintendent of the Trauma Centre at King George's Medical University (KGMU), said that 21–22 people had been brought to the hospital following the incident.

Of them, five sustained injuries and have been admitted for treatment. Two of the injured, who reportedly jumped from the building to escape the fire, suffered back injuries. Their CT scans have been conducted and they are undergoing medical treatment.

Dr Agrawal said that 15 of them were brought dead to the hospital. Their bodies are being sent to the mortuary for post-mortem examinations. While five bodies have already been shifted, the process of transferring the remaining 10 is underway.

Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge expressed grief over the fire at a coaching centre in Lucknow that claimed several lives and left many others injured.

In a post on X, Kharge described the incident as "heartbreaking and soul-wrenching" and extended his condolences to the families of the victims. He said the Congress party stood with the bereaved families and those injured in the tragedy.

Kharge also paid tribute to those who lost their lives and wished a speedy and complete recovery to the injured. He urged the government and administration to provide compensation and relief to the victims and their families at the earliest.

Leader of Opposition, Rahul Gandhi expressed grief over the fire incident at a coaching centre in Lucknow, describing the loss of lives and injuries to several people as extremely heartbreaking.

In a post on X, Gandhi extended his deepest condolences to the families of those who lost their loved ones in the tragedy and wished a speedy recovery to those injured in the incident.

The death toll in the fire at the commercial building in Lucknow's Aliganj has risen to 15, officials said. Several others were reportedly injured in the incident and are undergoing treatment. Rescue and relief operations are underway, while authorities have launched an investigation to determine the cause of the fire.

Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath has said that he has directed the state's police chief and the Additional Chief Secretary (Home) to immediately visit the site of the deadly fire in Lucknow and submit a detailed report.

Speaking at an event in Aligarh, he said that he was cutting short his visit to the district to immediately leave for Lucknow so that the incident can be thoroughly investigated.

(With inputs from Ashish)

Uttar Pradesh Yogi Adityanath cut short his trip to Aligarh after he received news about the tragic fire incident that has claimed the lives of at least 14 people, including children, in Lucknow so far.

"The loss of lives in the fire accident in Lucknow is extremely tragic and heart-rending. My condolences are with the bereaved families. I pray to Lord Shri Ram that the departed souls attain peace and the injured recover swiftly," he said in a post on X.

(With inputs from Ashish)

Expressing anguish over the loss of lives in the fire tragedy in Lucknow, Prime Minister Narendra Modi conveyed his condolences to the bereaved families.

"Anguished by the loss of lives in a fire mishap in Lucknow, Uttar Pradesh. My condolences to the bereaved families. May the injured recover at the earliest. Rescue operations are underway and authorities are providing all possible assistance. An ex-gratia of Rs. 2 lakh from PMNRF would be given to the next of kin of each deceased. The injured would be given Rs. 50,000," he said in an X post.