Trial by Fire: The Tragic Tale of the Uphaar Fire Tragedy by Suchitra Krishnamoorthy

For the victims of the uphaar cinema fire tragedy,
The fight for justice seems endless and closure,
A distant dream

On 13 June 1997, at 4.55 p.m., a swirling mass of thick smoke entered the balcony section of the well-known cinema hall located in posh south Delhi. With most exits unavailable and no ushers to help, the people seated in the balcony found themselves trapped.

By 7 p.m., fifty-seven had died and 103 were seriously injured in the ensuing stampede. Two more people died later in the hospital.

Neelam and Shekhar Krishnamoorthy lost their children, Unnati and Ujjawal, aged seventeen and thirteen respectively, that day. They decided to fight for justice – to bring those who were responsible for the tragedy to book. Their battle, which began nineteen years ago, continues till date.

Trial by Fire is the story of how the system failed them one step at a time and how, despite the odds, they still refuse to back down.