Kolkata Police reported on Thursday that they were unable to determine the exact count of workers present during the collapse of an under-construction warehouse in Taratala. The absence of attendance records at the site has hindered efforts to establish the number of individuals possibly still under the debris. Various rescue teams, including Civil Defence, the Indian Army, NDRF, Fire Brigade, Kolkata Police, and KMC, are engaged in intensive search operations for the missing workers.
The collapse of the warehouse roof in south Kolkata occurred on Wednesday, with an estimated 40 workers believed to be trapped underneath. Despite ongoing rescue efforts, the lack of a workers’ register at the site has complicated the assessment of the exact number of individuals still trapped. A suo motu case has been registered by the police in connection with the incident, with five individuals named in the FIR.
Among those named in the FIR, the body of the main contractor, Asghar Hussain, was recovered, and the remaining four individuals, including Mohammad Gulzar, have been arrested. Mohammad Gulzar, the building supervisor of Ayan Traders, is one of the arrested individuals associated with the construction of the warehouse roof. Additionally, the owner of Behera Brothers, Shambhunath Behera, and two others involved in the construction have also been taken into custody.
Kolkata Police Additional Commissioner of Police (Crime) Kunal Agarwal provided updates on the investigation during a press conference, stating that 11 individuals lost their lives in the incident, while 19 others sustained injuries and are receiving treatment at SSKM Hospital. Despite adverse weather conditions affecting the rescue operation, efforts are ongoing to locate any remaining trapped individuals.
