Meerut: The three organisers of the Trade Fair, which was devastated by a fire last Monday, have filed a plea for surrender in a local court.

The plea was filed in the court of Additional Chief Judicial Magistrate (I) Ashok Pathak. The court has asked for a report from the Civil Lines Police Station and fixed Monday for hearing the matter.

The three organisers -- Lakhan Tomar, Aashit Gupta and Siddarth Malhotra -- against whom an FIR under Section 304 (A) (causing death by negligence) of the IPC was filed in aftermath of the tragedy, had been still at large despite a police hunt. The charge was later amended to Section 304 (culpable homicide not amounting to murder) following intense public anger.

It is believed that the surrender plea came in order to forestall further action, including attachment of their properties. Authorities also felt that it was possible that the three would approach the Allahabad High Court for protection against arrest.

Putting rumours to rest,

says DM

With a view to putting to rest the rumours and provide factual ground reality in the aftermath of the devastating fire at a trade fair in the Victoria Park here on April 10, the administration issued a White Paper on Sunday.

Issuing the White Paper here this evening, District Magistrate Mukesh Meshram said, ``The rumours, especially regarding the toll in the fire tragedy, were creating confusion in the minds of the people and it is with this purpose that we have come out with this Paper.''

The 15-page document provides comprehensive information about the list of the people who died in the tragedy, injured, missing and the compensation being provided to the affected families. It also explained the situation after six days of the devastating fire.

Mr Meshram said the document would also be published as a poster and will also be posted on the website www.meerut.nic.in under `Meerut fire disaster' sub-head.

Any suggestion or claims in this regard could be communicated to the administration, Mr Meshram said.

Only four missing

The district administration here has claimed that only four persons remained missing in the fire tragedy. ``Only four persons -- Vandhana Girdhar, Rama Nand Gupta, Adesh Yadav and Malti -- are missing in the Victoria Park tragedy after others were located," Mr. Meshram informed.

A compensation of Rs 2.62 lakhs each has been paid to families of those killed. A total of Rs 40 lakhs has been given to those seriously injured and Rs 14 lakhs to people with minor injuries, he said.

Orders have been issued to hospitals and nursing homes in Meerut, Ghaziabad, Noida and Delhi to treat the victims of the fire tragedy free of cost and get the money reimbursed from the Meerut administration, he added. Mr. Meshram added Rs 5 lakhs compensation would be given to the family of Javed who died due to burn injuries in a Delhi Hospital two days back. Javed sustained 90 per cent burns while saving seven children.

Meanwhile, expelled BJP leader Uma Bharti, Uttar Pradesh Cane Minister Swami Omvesh, VHP leader Ashok Singhal and Rashtriya Lok Dal leader Choudhary Jayant Singh visited Victoria Park and later met district officials.

According to the White Paper, the toll in the tragedy stood at 46, 112 people were injured of whom 63 were admitted to hospitals in Meerut and 49 in Delhi, Noida and Ghaziabad.

A compensation of Rs 1.39 crores has been disbursed so far among the affected families, the Paper said. -- UNI & PTI

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