Kolkata warehouse collapse: Death toll reaches 9, 5 held; SIT begins probe
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Kolkata: The death toll in the roof collapse incident at an under-construction warehouse on P2 Transport Depot Road in Kolkata’s Taratala area rose to nine on Thursday morning.
According to government officials, nine workers have died, while 20 others are undergoing treatment at SSKM Hospital. The condition of two injured workers is reported to be critical, hospital sources said.
Rescue operations are still underway at the site to locate and recover workers who remain trapped under the debris. Sources said around three to four workers are still believed to be trapped.
So far, five people have been arrested in connection with the incident. The arrested individuals are Gulzar Hossain, supervisor of Ayan Traders; Kamal Samanta, an iron structure manufacturer; Shambhunath Behera, who had taken the land on lease; Dibarak Bhandari, labour supplier and Trimex contractor; and Abdul Hamid, an intermediary involved in obtaining approval for construction plans from the Kolkata Municipal Corporation.
The investigation team is examining whether any other people were involved in the incident, and further arrests will be made if required.
Police have registered a suo motu First Information Report under various sections of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita, including charges related to culpable homicide and attempt to commit culpable homicide.
The Kolkata Police has also formed a Special Investigation Team (SIT) to probe the incident. The team will be headed by the Deputy Commissioner of Police (Detective Department) and includes Joysurja Mukherjee, Assistant Commissioner of Police; Inspector Debasis Dutta, Officer-in-Charge of the Homicide Squad; Inspector Hirak Dalapati, appointed as the new investigating officer; Inspector Sarfaraz Ahmed of the Anti-Rowdy Squad; and Sub-Inspectors Manas Bhattacharya and Kushal Mondal of Taratala Police Station.
Police are investigating allegations of construction lapses at the site, including claims that tin sheets were used beneath the concrete roofing structure.
Rescue operations are being carried out by the Indian Army, National Disaster Response Force (NDRF), Kolkata Police’s Disaster Management Group, the state Fire and Emergency Services Department, Kolkata Police, and Kolkata Municipal Corporation officials.
Special radar equipment has been brought in to locate trapped workers, while sniffer dogs have been deployed since Wednesday. Hydraulic cranes and gas cutters are being used to remove sections of the collapsed roof.
The roof of the under-construction warehouse collapsed on Wednesday afternoon while around 40 workers were inside. Civil defence teams, the Indian Army, NDRF, fire brigade personnel, Kolkata Police and KMC officials launched a large-scale rescue operation.
According to local residents, the roof suddenly collapsed while several workers were engaged in construction activities inside the warehouse. Locals initially began rescue efforts before police, fire brigade, NDRF and Army teams arrived at the spot.
Chief Minister Suvendu Adhikari visited the accident site on Wednesday and later met the injured workers at SSKM Hospital.
The Chief Minister said the incident occurred due to a faulty building plan of the under-construction warehouse and assured that action would be taken against those responsible.
He also announced that construction work at all under-construction commercial properties under the Kolkata Municipal Corporation (KMC) area would remain suspended until July 31.
"In the aftermath of today's incident, I have given instructions to the KMC to suspend work in all under-construction commercial properties till July 31. We will conduct an audit of their building plan, site plan and on-the-spot inspection. Those whose papers will be in place can resume work from August 1," CM Adhikari said.
With IANS inputs