(Left) Site of fire at the coaching centre in Lucknow (Right) Trishank Krishna and Virdendra Shukla arrested
Lucknow: The Uttar Pradesh government has intensified action following the tragic fire at a coaching centre building in Lucknow, with four officials suspended, three building owners arrested, and a Special Investigation Team (SIT) constituted to probe the incident and fix accountability.
A case has been registered under Sections 110 (attempt to commit culpable homicide), 105 (culpable homicide not amounting to murder), and 125 (rash or negligent act endangering human life) of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS), along with relevant provisions of the UP Fire and Emergency Services Act.
Acting on the directions of Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath, authorities suspended Gaurav Kumar, Kamlendra Kumar Singh (FSSO, Indira Nagar), Anil Kumar (Assistant Engineer), and Pramod Pandey (Junior Engineer) for alleged lapses linked to the operation of the building.
The arrested owners have been identified as Virendra Prasad Shukla, Ramakrishna Upadhyay, and Tushak Krishna. An FIR has been lodged against four accused in connection with the case.
According to the administration’s preliminary inquiry, the building had received approval as a residential property but had allegedly been functioning as a commercial establishment since 2014. The premises were reportedly operated by the Rameshwaram Group. Three individuals associated with the group—Virendra, Dhirandra, and Surendra Pratap Shukla—have been identified during the investigation.
Officials said a list of 16 individuals, including engineers, staff members, and government officials allegedly responsible for permitting or overlooking the illegal commercial use of the building, has been prepared for further action.
The SIT comprises Amrit Abhijat, Additional Chief Secretary, Tourism, Religious Affairs and Culture Department, and Praveen Kumar, ADG, Lucknow Zone. The panel has been directed to submit its findings within seven days.
The fire reportedly broke out at a building housing a library and a computer training institute. According to an eyewitness, the blaze caused panic, leading one individual to jump from the building, resulting in serious injuries. The cause of the fire is yet to be ascertained.
According to Prem Raj Singh, MS, King George Medical University (KGMU), most of the deaths were caused by suffocation.
Speaking to ANI, Singh said, “15 people were already dead when they were brought to the hospital. The bodies have been sent to the mortuary for a post-mortem. 7-8 other people were also brought in. Two of them sustained minor injuries. One young man appears to have suffered a spinal injury; our doctors are currently treating him.”
“Another young woman has an injury to her leg, and she is being examined as well. They all appear to be around 25-27 years old. Most of the deaths were caused by suffocation,” he added.
Moreover, President Droupadi Murmu expressed grief over the loss of lives. describing the incident as “extremely heartbreaking”. In a post shared on X, the President said, “The news of the deaths of numerous people in the horrific fire accident that occurred in Lucknow is extremely heartbreaking. I express my heartfelt condolences to the bereaved families. I pray for the swift recovery of the injured.”
Defence Minister Rajnath Singh also condoled the loss of lives in the incident. “The incident of a fire breaking out in a coaching centre in Lucknow’s Aliganj area is heart-wrenching. My condolences are with all those families who have lost their loved ones in this tragedy. Along with that, I pray for the swift recovery of all the injured,” he said in a post on X.
Meanwhile, on the precautionary side, the state government has also directed officials to review fire safety norms and ensure proper emergency exit routes in buildings frequented by children and large gatherings to prevent similar incidents in the future.
With injured individuals receiving medical treatment, a thorough investigation to determine the cause of the fire is underway, and further details are awaited.
