At least 11 people died when the roof of an under-construction warehouse collapsed in Kolkata’s Taratala area on Wednesday afternoon. Rescue teams continue to search the rubble amid uncertainty over how many remain trapped.
The collapse occurred on Wednesday afternoon at a site leased from Syama Prasad Mookerjee Port and being built by Behera Brothers. So far, 31 people have been pulled from the debris, with 11 confirmed dead and 20 injured, many treated at SSKM Hospital. Locals estimated 50 to 60 labourers were present, but no register was maintained, leaving unclear how many may still be trapped.
Chief Minister Suvendu Adhikari told the state assembly that the building plan had been approved despite a faulty design bearing the signature of former mayor Firhad Hakim. He announced an ex gratia payment of Rs 10 lakh to families of the deceased and Rs 1 lakh to the injured, while the Prime Minister’s Office offered Rs 2 lakh per deceased family. All construction in Kolkata has been halted pending an audit.
Kolkata Police arrested six people, including Shambhunath Behera, owner of Behera Brothers, and Kalicharan Banerjee, OSD to the former mayor. Rescue efforts by the Army, NDRF and other agencies continue with ground-penetrating radar and cameras deployed under the rubble.
