Kolkata, June 25: The tragic collapse of a warehouse roof under construction in Kolkata’s Taratala area has resulted in a rising death toll, now confirmed at nine. This information was provided by government officials early Thursday.
According to officials, nine workers have lost their lives in this incident, while 20 others are receiving treatment at SSKM Hospital. Hospital sources report that two of the injured are in critical condition. Rescue operations are ongoing, with fears that some workers may still be trapped under the debris.
Sources indicate that approximately three to four workers remain buried in the rubble, and rescue teams are making every effort to safely extract them.
In connection with the incident, police have arrested five individuals, including Gulzar Hussain (supervisor at Ayan Traders), Kamal Samanta (iron structure worker), Shambhunath Bera (land leaseholder), Diwakar Bhandari (labor supplier and Trimex contractor), and Abdul Hamid (intermediary related to construction plan approvals with the Kolkata Municipal Corporation).
The police investigation is also looking into whether additional individuals were involved in this incident. Authorities have stated that further arrests may occur if more names emerge during the investigation. The police have registered an FIR under various sections of the Indian Penal Code (IPC) following a suo motu action.
Additionally, the Kolkata Police have established a Special Investigation Team (SIT) to probe the matter. The SIT is led by the Deputy Commissioner of Police (Detective Department) and includes members such as ACP Joysourya Mukherjee, Inspector Debashish Dutta (Homicide Squad), Inspector Heera Dalapati (new investigating officer), Inspector Sarfaraz Ahmed (Anti-Rodent Squad), and sub-inspectors Manas Bhattacharya and Kushal Mandal from Taratala Police Station.
Investigative agencies are also examining whether there was gross negligence at the construction site, including allegations of using tin sheets beneath the concrete roof.
Meanwhile, rescue operations are being conducted at a war footing. The Indian Army, NDRF, Kolkata Police’s Disaster Management Group, the state fire department, and officials from the Kolkata Municipal Corporation are collaborating to oversee relief efforts.
Officials reported that radar systems and sniffer dogs are being utilized to locate individuals trapped under the debris. These technologies have been deployed since Wednesday.
The incident occurred Wednesday afternoon when the roof of the under-construction warehouse suddenly collapsed. At the time, approximately 40 workers were inside. Local residents were the first to initiate rescue efforts, followed by teams from the police, fire brigade, NDRF, and the army.
Following the incident, the Chief Minister visited the site and met with the injured at SSKM Hospital. He stated that preliminary investigations revealed serious flaws in the construction plan. The Chief Minister emphasized that strict action would be taken against the owners responsible for this incident.
In a significant decision, he announced that all ongoing commercial construction projects within the Kolkata Municipal Corporation (KMC) area would be halted until July 31. He stated that all construction sites would undergo inspections of their building plans and site plans. Projects found to have proper documentation will be allowed to resume work starting August 1.
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