Lucknow witnessed massive administrative action after the Aliganj fire tragedy claimed 15 lives in a three-storey illegal building. Consequently, the Lucknow Development Authority issued a fresh demolition notice for the same structure on Tuesday. Moreover, officials confirmed strict action against violations that allowed illegal commercial use in a residential zone. Meanwhile, authorities intensified internal investigations into departmental negligence linked to the disaster.
LDA orders action, officials suspended amid internal probe
LDA Vice Chairman Prathamesh Kumar confirmed that the building violated construction rules and faced renewed demolition orders. Additionally, he stated that internal inquiry procedures have already begun against responsible officers. Furthermore, authorities will take strict legal action against any proven negligence in the case. Simultaneously, the department accelerated identification of current and former officials linked to approvals and oversight failures.
Uttar Pradesh: Family of deceased Anamika Samanta arrives from West Bengal following Aliganj fire tragedy. Father of the deceased, Vishwanath, says, “She was working here in 3D animation for 3 years. The local police station asked us to contact the OC here. We were informed that… pic.twitter.com/NyobFisLQP
— The Bharat Post (@TheBharatPost__) June 23, 2026
2016 demolition order controversy raises serious questions
Records show authorities issued demolition orders in 2016 for the same illegal three-storey structure. However, officials revoked the order within two months, raising concerns over administrative collusion. Consequently, the building continued operating illegally as a commercial hub inside a residential zone. Ultimately, this prolonged failure turned the structure into what officials described as a “death trap” over the years.
Police arrest four and suspend four officials after fire
Following the tragedy, police arrested four accused including Ramkrishna Upadhyay, Virendra Prasad Shukla, Tushar Krishna Jaiswal, and Suresh Kumar Sahu. Additionally, authorities suspended four officials from electricity, fire, and LDA departments over initial negligence findings. Meanwhile, the Uttar Pradesh government formed a high-level Special Investigation Team to probe the incident. The SIT includes senior officials Amrit Abhijat and Praveen Tiwari to submit a detailed report soon.
🚨 LUCKNOW FIRE TRAGEDY UPDATE
A joint team of the Forensic Science Laboratory (FSL) and the Special Investigation Team (SIT) has begun a detailed inspection of the site in Lucknow where a massive fire claimed 15 lives yesterday.
Investigators are collecting evidence and… pic.twitter.com/p0RtIqq0Te— The Bharat Post (@TheBharatPost__) June 23, 2026
How the Aliganj fire turned into a deadly trap
The fire erupted in a commercial building running animation studio, coaching hub, pet shop, and library in Aliganj. Suddenly, a short circuit triggered flames on the second floor, filling the structure with dense toxic smoke. Moreover, a biometric thumb-lock system failed after power cut, trapping students inside without escape routes. Tragically, lack of emergency exits and fire systems led to 15 deaths and nine critical injuries.
