"Extremely tragic and heart-wrenching": Amit Shah, Priyanka Gandhi, Kejriwal condole Lucknow fire deaths
Lucknow, June 22
Union Home Minister Amit Shah on Monday expressed grief over the loss of lives in the devastating fire at a coaching centre in Lucknow, calling the incident "extremely tragic and heart-wrenching".
In a post shared on X, Shah said, "The accident caused by the fire in Lucknow is extremely tragic and heart-wrenching. I express my condolences to those who have lost their loved ones in this mishap. May God grant strength to the bereaved families to bear this sorrow. I pray for the speedy recovery of the injured."
Congress leader Priyanka Gandhi Vadra also expressed deep sorrow over the tragedy, which claimed several lives, including students.
"The news of the deaths of a large number of people, including several students, due to a fire in a coaching center in Lucknow is extremely heartbreaking. May God grant peace to the departed souls. My deepest condolences to the bereaved families," she said on X.
The Congress MP further urged the Uttar Pradesh government to ensure proper medical treatment and compensation for victims and appealed to Congress workers to assist those affected.
"I urge the state government to make proper arrangements for the treatment of the injured and compensation for the affected families. I appeal to Congress colleagues to help the victims as much as possible," Gandhi wrote.
Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) national convener Arvind Kejriwal also condoled the incident, saying, "We have received the extremely heartbreaking news of a devastating fire at a coaching center in Lucknow. The untimely death of several innocent people in this heart-wrenching tragedy is profoundly painful. My deepest condolences are with the bereaved families. I pray to God that He grant peace to the departed souls and strength to the families to bear this immense sorrow."
AAP leader Sanjay Singh, however, launched a sharp attack on the government, alleging repeated fire-related deaths across cities.
"From Lucknow to Delhi, people are dying in fire accidents. The Modi-Yogi double-engine government is busy running bulldozers and indulging in empty rhetoric," Singh said.
He added, "In the Lucknow fire incident, 14 people lost their lives--I know the media will cover it for a couple of days, then everyone will forget, but for those whose children have died, the burden of grief will remain forever. May the Lord grant peace to the souls of the departed. May He give their families the strength to endure this immense suffering."
Singh demanded a high-level inquiry and strict action against those responsible.
"A high-level investigation into the matter should be conducted, and action should be taken against the guilty," he added.
Meanwhile, medical officials confirmed that the death toll in the incident has risen to 15, with most deaths attributed to suffocation.
Prem Raj Singh, Medical Superintendent of King George's Medical University (KGMU), said, "Fifteen people were already dead when they were brought to the hospital. The bodies have been sent to the mortuary for a post-mortem. Seven to eight other people were also brought in. Two of them sustained minor injuries. One young man appears to have suffered a spinal injury; our doctors are currently treating him."
"Another young woman has an injury to her leg, and she is being examined as well. Most of the deaths were caused by suffocation," he added.
Earlier, Prime Minister Narendra Modi also expressed grief over the tragedy and announced ex-gratia assistance from the Prime Minister's National Relief Fund (PMNRF), stating that Rs 2 lakh would be given to the next of kin of each deceased and Rs 50,000 to the injured.
Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath visited the site and directed senior officials, including the DGP and Home Department officials, to investigate the incident and submit a detailed report. He assured strict action against those found responsible after the inquiry. Announcing the financial assistance, CM Yogi on X wrote, "I have directed the concerned officials to provide immediate financial assistance of ₹5 lakh each to the families of those who lost their lives untimely in this accident, and ₹50,000 each to those seriously injured."
— ANI
Reader Comments
As an NRI watching this from abroad, it's so sad to see these preventable tragedies. In India, the coaching industry is unregulated and fire safety norms are often ignored. CM Yogi's Rs 5 lakh compensation is a good gesture, but we need systemic changes - mandatory fire exits, regular inspections, and accountability. Prayers for the families.
Extremely tragic indeed. I appreciate that leaders across parties came together in grief - from Amit Shah to Priyanka Gandhi to Kejriwal. But Sanjay Singh's remarks about 'bulldozer government' seemed unnecessary during mourning. Let's focus on the victims first, politics can wait. My heart goes out to the parents who lost their children.
This is just terrible man. These coaching centres are like assembly lines - pack as many students as possible into small rooms with poor ventilation. Suffocation deaths are the worst. PM Modi announced Rs 2 lakh, CM Yogi gave Rs 5 lakh - at least some financial help. But who will bring back those bright young minds? Need a national task force for fire safety in educational institutes.
Tragic beyond words. Having studied in India, I know how crowded these coaching centres can be. The lack of fire escapes and emergency planning is criminal. While condolences from leaders are welcome, what's needed is immediate action: fire audits of all coaching centres across UP and strict penalties for violations. This pattern of 'condolences then forget' must end.
So sad to see innocent students dying like this. I hope the high-level inquiry Sanjay Singh demanded happens quickly and fairly. But I also wish politicians
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