Gutted Aliganj building draws mourners, curious onlookers

A man who laid flowers outside, a survivor’s friend who came to collect his motorcycle and curious onlookers clicking pictures — the hollow, charred remains of the Aliganj building where a blaze claimed 15 lives now stand as a memorial and an eerie reminder of loss.

In the foreground are burnt metal frames and bookshelves. The site of one of Lucknow’s deadliest fire tragedies in recent years is cordoned off with yellow police tape.

Around Tuesday midnight, a man came with flowers and a photograph of the victims. He placed the photograph on a bench outside the building and paid tributes to them before leaving quietly. Also among the visitors were friends of Bhuvan Srivastava, one of the few who managed to escape the fire by sliding down a wire. One of the friends told PTI that they had come to retrieve Srivastava’s motorcycle, which had remained at the spot since Monday after he was directly taken to the hospital.

Police personnel at the site said belongings were being returned only after proper verification of identity documents. Officers also said that several unattended two-wheelers still parked near the building would be shifted to a secure location before being handed over to their owners. A policeman manning the blackened building said, “It seems kind of spooky now, especially at night.” Traffic passing by the building on Usha Mehta Marg slowed down or stopped, with many quickly pulling out their mobile phones and craning their necks to click pictures or record videos of the gutted building. Some were even seen making group calls to their families and friends. The steady stream of visitors also kept police personnel on their toes. Around eight to 10 policemen deployed at the spot were frequently seen stepping onto the road to keep the traffic moving. Among those who stopped was a student, Anubhav Gupta.

The Lucknow Development Authority on Wednesday pasted a notice on the Aliganj building where a devastating fire claimed 15 lives earlier this week, directing the owner to submit a response within 15 days, officials said. The notice relates to alleged violations of building bylaws and unauthorised use of the premises, which had been approved for residential purposes but was being used commercially.

Suspended Fire Station Second Officer (FSSO) Kamlesh Kumar Singh withdrew the allegations. In a video posted on social media on Wednesday, Singh said he was deeply distressed by the deaths caused by the fire and his emotional state had influenced his actions. “I was misled into making the video. I am extremely saddened by the loss of 15 lives in the incident,” Singh said. Expressing confidence in senior officials and the ongoing inquiry, Singh said he believed a fair and impartial investigation would establish the facts surrounding the tragedy.