The suspended officials include Gaurav Kumar (XEN Collection, Janakipuram), Kamlendra Kumar Singh (FSSO, Indira Nagar), Anil Kumar (Assistant Engineer/AE), and Pramod Pandey (Junior Engineer/JE).
लखनऊ में अग्निकांड, 15 मौत का जिम्मेदार कौन? अवैध कोचिंग की इमारत गिराने का आदेश लिया गया था वापस
Following the directive of Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath, four officials have been suspended with immediate effect in connection with the massive fire incident in the Aliganj police station area of the capital, Lucknow. After the tragedy, the administration initiated an inquiry into the negligence and intensified action against those responsible.
Coaching center operating in violation of norms
There is a distinction between the approved blueprints for residential and commercial buildings; these plans determine whether commercial activities are permissible within a structure. The government revealed that the building involved in the incident had been approved by the authority as a residential property. Despite this, a coaching center was being operated there—a clear violation of regulations. Several government officials overlooked these rules, resulting in the tragic deaths of 15 innocent students.
Why was the demolition order revoked?
According to the UP government, a demolition order had been issued in 2016 against the Aliganj building where the fire broke out due to illegal construction. However, that order was revoked in less than two months, even though no structural changes had been made to the building. Why was the demolition order withdrawn? This has raised serious questions regarding the authority’s actions.
Case filed against building owner in 2016
According to a government statement, the building—located in Aliganj’s Sector-D—was allotted to Vijay Kumar under a hire-purchase scheme via a lottery system on July 11, 1980. Possession of the building was handed over on November 4 of the same year. Officials stated that in 2005, the building was registered in the names of Vijay Kumar and his wife, Usha, through a sale deed; the couple subsequently sold the property to Virendra Pratap Shukla and Surendra Pratap Shukla on January 19, 2013. He stated that the building, covering an area of approximately 1,992 square feet, had its plan approved for residential use on August 20, 2014, under the ‘Self-Certification Building Plan Scheme.’ However, the Lucknow Development Authority later filed a case (Case No. 08/2016) against Virendra Pratap Shukla after unauthorized construction within the building came to light.
Eyewitnesses reported that several people jumped from the building, which was completely gutted by the fire. A pet clinic was also located within the premises. Fourteen fire tenders, including a vehicle equipped with a hydraulic platform, were deployed to bring the fire—which broke out around 3 PM—under control.
The suspended officials include Gaurav Kumar (XEN Collection, Janakipuram), Kamlendra Kumar Singh (FSSO, Indira Nagar), Anil Kumar (Assistant Engineer/AE), and Pramod Pandey (Junior Engineer/JE). Immediate action was taken against these officials following directives from the Chief Minister.
The police have registered a case regarding the fire incident that occurred on Monday in the Aliganj police station area. According to the police, the case has been registered at Aliganj police station (Crime No. 115/2026) under Sections 110, 105, 125, and 3(5) of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS), as well as Sections 6/10 of the Uttar Pradesh Fire Service Act. The case names six accused individuals and includes other responsible parties.
The police have arrested three accused persons in connection with the case. The arrested individuals are Ramkrishna Upadhyay (43), resident of MM-232, Sector-D, Aliganj (near Shiv Mandir); Virendra Prasad Shukla (62), resident of 536/265 A, Madiyaon (near Bada Durga Mandir, Sitapur Road, Lucknow); and Tushak Krishna Jaiswal (31), resident of 441 RN/69/3, Neelkanth Hospital Lane, Balaganj (Thakurganj police station area, Lucknow). The police stated that further legal proceedings regarding the matter are underway. Meanwhile, reports have emerged that the building owner fled following the incident. It is reported that the owner of the Aliganj building—where the fire broke out—locked his private residence and left the premises. A guard stationed outside the house stated that the house has been locked since Monday morning and the family members have gone away. The guard mentioned that he had been working there for the past week and was tasked solely with guarding the house.
According to the guard, he learned about the fire incident when he arrived for duty. He stated that B.P. Shukla and his family reside in the house. The police are now investigating the entire matter, looking into the causes of the incident and the roles of those responsible.
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