Kolkata, August 18: The death toll from the fire at a hotel in Tarapith, Birbhum district of West Bengal, has risen to eight, according to police reports. Among the deceased are five members of a family from Meghalaya who had come to the sacred city to worship at the Tara Temple.
The family was staying on the fifth floor of the hotel, where the fire had not yet reached. However, in a panic, they rushed down the stairs to the ground floor, where the flames were rapidly spreading.
A district police officer confirmed that all five family members succumbed to the fire. The victims include five adult males, one female, and two minors. The family members from Shibbari village in South Garo Hills, Meghalaya, have been identified as Rajendra Nath, Asha Nath, Buran Modak, Aushonath Modak, and Shibraj Modak, aged eight and ten years.
The other three victims are Kamal Roy, Amit Paul, and Subir Saha, all residents of Alipurduar district in North Bengal.
According to administrative sources, 28 individuals were safely evacuated from the hotel, while seven others are receiving treatment at Rampurhat Government Medical College Hospital.
In the meantime, police have arrested Kalyan Paul, the hotel owner. Investigators are looking into whether the hotel’s fire safety system was operational and if fire safety regulations were followed.
Residents have alleged that the emergency exit at the back of the hotel was locked, preventing escape. Paul responded that in the chaos, residents could not locate the exit and fled through the reception area, where several were burned. Police are currently investigating these claims and counterclaims.
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