Kolkata, 20 August (H.S.) :

Police have taken major action in connection with the deadly fire at Shikha Inn on Mirza Ghalib Street under New Market Police Station. The Kolkata Police Detective Department arrested hotel leaseholder Abu Zafar late Wednesday night. He was apprehended from the Entally Main Market area. The hotel manager and an employee have also been detained for questioning. Police are searching for Bireswar Mitra, who is reportedly the owner of the hotel.

The fire broke out at around 1:30 to 2 a.m. on Tuesday in the hotel located on the third floor of a six-storey building. The building is barely 50 metres from the Kolkata Fire Brigade headquarters. The hotel occupied an area of around 1,100 square feet, with extremely small rooms and narrow toilets. There was reportedly inadequate space for movement, while the preliminary investigation has found that the hotel did not have an emergency exit. The entire floor had only one very narrow staircase for entry and exit.

Nine people, including a child, died in the fire. Five of the deceased are reportedly Bangladeshi nationals. Three members of the same family were among those killed. Some of the victims had been staying in Kolkata before returning to Bangladesh, while others had come to the city for medical treatment. One of the deceased was also reportedly employed at the hotel.

The preliminary police investigation has found that the hotel lacked basic fire-safety arrangements. Several rooms also allegedly did not have adequate ventilation or lighting. According to police sources, the hotel management had failed to produce documents related to fire-safety clearance and trade licences even by Wednesday night.

Following the incident, the administration ordered the closure of all hotels and restaurants operating in the multi-storey building.

The role of hotel owner Bireswar Mitra is also under investigation. Indradev Haldar, an employee of another hotel located opposite Shikha Inn, told police that he first noticed smoke and flames coming from the hotel at around 2:15 a.m. on Tuesday. He said he immediately tried calling Mitra several times, but the calls went unanswered. His mobile phone was later found switched off.

Police also searched Mitra’s residence in Behala but could not trace him. His wife, Lipi Mitra, told police that after learning about the fire, Bireswar left home on Wednesday morning saying that he was going to the hotel. There has been no information about his whereabouts since then.

Police have also learned that Bireswar Mitra reportedly owns two other hotels in Kolkata and two in Digha. The investigation into the fire and the circumstances surrounding the deaths is underway.

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Hindusthan Samachar / Satya Prakash Singh