As many as 15 persons were killed after a major fire engulfed a three-storey commercial building in Lucknow's Aliganj area. Among those dead are two friends from Kanpur– 28-year-old Sanyam Vij and 25-year-old Surajbhan Singh. The two young men, colleagues at an animation studio and close friends for years, were among those trapped inside the building when the blaze broke out.
The news of their deaths sent shockwaves through their hometown, plunging both families and their neighbourhoods into grief.
Sanyam was supposed to attend grandmother’s funeral
For Sanyam Vij’s family, the tragedy has compounded an already painful period. Residents of Block-11 in Kanpur’s Govind Nagar area, the family had been mourning the recent loss of Sanyam’s grandmother. Her tehravi (13th-day death ritual) was scheduled for Tuesday, and Sanyam was expected to return home to attend the ceremony. Instead, the family received news of his death.
Relatives said Sanyam had been a pillar of support since the death of his father, Pushparaj Vij, several years ago.
Surajbhan’s family left heartbroken
The loss has been equally devastating for the family of Surajbhan Singh, a resident of Barra-7 in Kanpur. Having already lost his father, Surajbhan was a key support for his mother, Meera Devi, and younger brother, Samrat.
According to relatives, he regularly travelled home on weekends and had returned to Lucknow for work on Sunday, unaware it would be his final journey.
Family members have not yet informed his mother of his death, fearing the emotional shock could severely affect her health.
Neighbours and friends described both young men as cheerful, kind-hearted and always willing to help others. Their friendship was well known in the locality. They studied together, worked together and tragically lost their lives in the same incident.
The sudden loss of two promising young professionals has left the community stunned and mourning.
Families await final goodbye
Following the tragedy, relatives and friends rushed from Kanpur to Lucknow and are awaiting the return of the victims’ bodies after post-mortem examinations. In homes where wedding plans and family gatherings were once being discussed, preparations are now being made for last rites. (Reported by Anurag Srivastava)
