Kolkata Fire: The death toll in the fire near Kolkata on 26 January has risen to 21, with an additional 13 bodies found in gutted buildings, while 28 people are still missing, raising fears that the number of fatalities is likely to increase. The police have imposed prohibitory orders, restricting public movement in the area.
The deadly fire spread to two godowns and a manufacturing unit of a momo company at Anandapur in South 24 Parganas district in the early hours of Monday. The death toll has now risen to 21, with more than 13 bodies found in buildings.
A senior police officer, speaking to PTI, said, "Given the nature of the incident and the extent of the damage, the possibility of the toll increasing cannot be ruled out."
Ahead of a planned visit by BJP leaders, prohibitory orders under Section 163 of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita were implemented in the region, starting from midnight on Wednesday.
"A prohibitory order has been imposed to maintain law and order and to facilitate rescue and identification work," the police officer said.
Adhikari has moved the Calcutta High Court seeking permission to visit the site and to take out a march from a nearby temple to the spot. The matter is likely to be heard by Justice Shubra Ghosh on Thursday, a source in the court said.
In a post on X, he wrote, "The devastation is unimaginable innocent lives lost, families shattered, and acts a stark reminder of the human cost of Govt negligence."
"This is not an accident, it is a man-made disaster caused by illegal warehouses operating without fire safety norms, NOCs, or audits in the East Kolkata Wetlands. The TMC government's chronic apathy, corruption, and failure to enforce basic regulations have caused this. Mamata Banerjee is yet to visit the site days after the tragedy", he added.
The Sunday night blaze reduced warehouses and a manufacturing unit to rubble, leaving behind charred buildings and bodies of workers. Officials said DNA mapping of the 21 recovered bodies or body parts is likely to begin on Thursday to establish their identities.
"DNA profiling is essential in this case as many of the bodies are severely charred and identification through conventional means is not possible," the officer said.