High Court has overturned a ruling that the death of 96 Liverpool fans in the Hillsborough disaster was accidental, and a new criminal investigation into the 1989 stadium tragedy was ordered by the government on Wednesday.

Many of the victims' families were at the High Court in London today to hear Attorney General Dominic Grieve successfully apply for the accidental death verdicts to be overturned. High Court has thus denied to accept that all 96 deaths at Hillsborough were accidental – decision much anticipated by grieving families who have been campaigning for justice for over two decades.

New inquest has been ordered by Home Secretary (interior minister) Theresa May and Jon Stoddart, recently retired chief constable from Durham will lead the case. Worth remembering, this inquest does not mean criminal liability for those guilty, but may be the basis to accuse certain people, if findings indicate their role in the tragedy.

Today’s decision to overturn previous investigation is direct result of the independent report presented in September, that clearly shows despicable actions by the police to cover up their mistakes. Perhaps worst of all, the report doesn’t only show absolute lack of respect to human dignity, but it also suggests that even 41 people were still alive after being brought out of the crush zone and may have been saved, if proper rescue tactics were in place.