JOIN USDay after, no arrests yet in Kolkata market fire
A day after a tragic fire claimed 20 lives in a five-storey market complex, police are yet to trace those responsible for the mishap while the Kolkata Municipal Corporation (KMC) has said that part of the building was constructed illegally.
“One floor of the G+4 structure was found to be illegally constructed. Only 136 shops have been given trade licence but the actual number of shops is much higher than that,” a senior KMC official said.
“We are looking into the matter and the guilty, whoever it is, will not be spared,” State Fire Minister Javed Khan said.
The KMC has not only resolved to make arrangements for installing CCTV cameras in all its 46 markets, – particularly those located in congested areas – but also decided to make surprise checks to ensure that fire-safety mechanisms are installed in all the KMC markets. “We are trying to put in all our efforts to save the city from fire disasters,” KMC Mayor Sovan Chattopadhyay said. However, even after 24 hours, the Kolkata Police is yet to arrest a single person responsible for the fire.
“We have lodged an FIR against the owners of the building and the committee responsible for looking after the maintenance of the building and we hope to arrest them soon,” a senior police officer said. The fire at Surya Sen market complex near Sealdah station on Wednesday killed 20 people and injured many.
DH News Service