Bengal fire: Remains of 27 victims recovered so far

Kolkata: Police on Saturday said that remains of 27 people have been recovered from two warehouses in Nazirabad that were destroyed in a massive fire on January 26. With this, officials have confirmed the death toll in the incident.

According to a senior officer from Baruipur district police, the remains were found at different spots inside the two warehouses. Authorities believe they belong to the 27 workers who had been reported missing after the fire. The search operation has now been completed.

Police had earlier received 27 missing complaints from families who said their relatives, employed at the warehouses, could not be traced after the blaze.

The recovered remains, including bones, skull fragments and other severely burnt body parts, have been sent for forensic examination. Samples from family members of the missing persons have also been collected for DNA testing. Officials said they are waiting for the lab reports to confirm the identities.

Authorities said both warehouses were owned by Kolkata-based Pushpanjali Decorators and were built on the protected East Kolkata Wetlands, where construction is not permitted. The owner of the firm, Gangadhar Das, was arrested earlier.

On Friday, the manager and deputy manager of the momo company that had rented the warehouse were also arrested. A court on Saturday remanded them to six days of police custody. Police said they are being questioned and statements of survivors who have returned to their homes in East Midnapore will also be recorded.

The incident has sparked political reactions. Union Home Minister Amit Shah, speaking at a rally in Barrackpore, criticised the Mamata Banerjee-led West Bengal government and alleged corruption behind the tragedy. He questioned why the owners of the momo company had not been arrested and raised concerns about possible political links.

In Delhi, BJP spokesperson Guru Prakash Paswan claimed that the company’s chief executive officer had accompanied the chief minister on a visit to Madrid and called for a court-monitored investigation.

The Trinamool Congress responded by saying that the probe is ongoing and that strict action is being taken. Party leaders accused the BJP of politicising the tragedy and said that arrests have already been made and the investigation is in progress.

(with inputs from agencies)