THEY are reluctant crusaders, having paid the high price of losing two children in theDelhi Uphaar cinema tragedy, which left 60 dead. But the husband-wife duo of Neelam andShekhar Krishnamoorthy decided that being pro-active was the only way out. Says Neelam,"We dont want anybody else to meet the same fate as our children did. And we dobelieve that the work that has been started will bring about some change." Thus theAssociation Of The Victims of Uphaar Tragedy (AV U T) was formed . Not just to book theguilty in the Uphaar case but also to create an awareness and change attitudes towards awhole host of problems and tragedies that are forgotten much too soon.
June 13, 1997 was like any other day in their life. Shekhar and Neelam went off to workas usual (they run a buying agency for uropean companies). Their children Unnati, 17, andUjjawal, 13, decided to see the afternoon show of the much awaited J.P. Dutta film Border."When they didnt return till evening, we started getting restive, littleknowing that they were dead," says Neelam. Deaths which they feel couldve beenprevented. Says Shekhar: "The people sit-ting in the rear stall came out unharmed,while those seated in the balcony were asphyxiated. The policemen who refused to bepart of the rescue operation joked that these people were rich, and couldnt movefast enough." Not the only callousness on display that evening. The theatremanagement had not maintained any of the fire safety regulations. Exits had been lockedfrom the outside, no immediate first-aid was available, and bodies were heaped on top ofeach other at A I I M S, Indias premier hospital.
The first step was to get together others similarly bereaved that evening; addresseswere obtained from obituary columns. Says Shekhar: "People thought this associationwouldnt last a couple of months, they even called it an elite group." ExplainsNeelam: "We do have members who cant contribute towards the expenses offighting the case." While the initial money to run the association came from theirown pockets, singer Shubha Mudgal, a good friend, helped through a fund-raising concert,and Rs 9 lakh were collected. Now AVUT runs on this money.
The couple is devoted to AV U T, leaving them little time to keep their businessrunning. In fact normal life has come to a stand-still. Says Neelam, "We didnthave any incentive to live or earn . Now this association is our obsession." Every13th of the month, a debate/event is organised. The park opposite the Uphaar cinema hasbeen handed over to AV U T to build a memorial. "Public memory is short but wecant let them forget," says Shekhar.
"Now we have taken up all sorts of issues. We want to work for a saferIndia," he says. That includes making the officals who issue licenses accountable inthe event of an accident and starting a Centralised Accident & Trauma Services (CATS)centre a dream that drives them into going through endless rounds of litigation andbureaucratic hassles. The association wants a total of Rs 100 crore (the damages AVUT isclaiming in the High Court writ) to set up the centre, which they feel could save a largenumber of lives. Says Neelam, "There is land allotted for a CATS centre but nothinghas happened as yet."
The Krishnamoorthys have also channelised their energies into music, a passion theirchildren shared. Having just released an album through Magnasound, Shekhar says, "Idont want fame or money through music. Music gives us solace." Proceeds fromthe album will go towards educating underprivileged children.
Neelam and Shekhar refused to start life afresh abroad as suggested by some friends.Says Neelam, "We want to fight this battle. There is no point in running away."The Krishnamoorthys continue their fight to sensitise Delhi, improve facilities and evenbring the mighty Ansals (the owners of Uphaar) to book. A battle that they would likeothers to join in as well, because they feel, "what happened to us can happen toanybody, any time."
Neelam and Shekhar Krishnamoorthy can be contacted at: (011) 6451474/6442750.
