Hyderabad, June 6 -- Reported by Abhinand Prijith and Shambhavi Choudhary

Hyderabad: The victims of the fire near Gulzar Houz, just two weeks after losing 17 family members in a massive blaze, have alleged harassment and extortion by electricity department officials, who not only demanded a hefty sum of Rs 2.5 lakh in pending dues but also allegedly pressured them to record a video absolving the department of blame for the tragedy.

However, department officials have denied all allegations.

On May 18, a massive fire broke out in the apartments above Krishna Pearls near Gulzar Houz, killing 17 out of the 21 Modi family members, including several children. The blaze also gutted their showroom, the family's primary source of income. Now, w...