Lucknow Fire News: Four Arrested, SIT Formed, ₹5 Lakh Compensation Announced

The Uttar Pradesh government has ordered a high-level probe and announced compensation following the devastating fire in Lucknow's Aliganj area that killed at least 15 people, many of them young students attending an animation training centre.

The fire broke out on Monday in a commercial building housing an animation centre and a pet shop in Sector D, Aliganj . Several people were trapped inside as flames and dense smoke rapidly spread through the structure.

In response to the tragedy, Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath cancelled most of his scheduled programmes, including visits to Hathras and Agra, and reviewed the situation with senior officials. The BJP also suspended all its organisational programmes in Uttar Pradesh on Tuesday as a mark of respect for the victims.

The state government has constituted a two-member Special Investigation Team (SIT) headed by Additional Chief Secretary Amrit Abhijat and ADG (Lucknow Zone) Praveen Kumar. The team has been directed to submit its findings within seven days.

Police have arrested four persons Ram Krishna Upadhyay , Virendra Prasad Shukla , Tushak Krishna Jaiswal and Suresh Kumar Sahoo in connection with the incident, while further legal action is underway.

The government has also suspended four officials from the electricity department, fire department and Lucknow Development Authority over alleged lapses. A six-member forensic team has begun examining the site to determine the cause of the blaze.

Meanwhile, the state government has announced ₹5 lakh ex-gratia for the families of each deceased victim and ₹50,000 for each injured person . The tragedy has also renewed concerns over fire safety compliance and the operation of commercial establishments in residential areas.