The West Bengal government on Wednesday constituted a Special Investigation Team (SIT) to probe the collapse of an under-construction godown shed in Kolkata’s Taratala area that left five people dead and 20 others injured.
According to an official order, the case has been transferred to the Detective Department of Kolkata Police. The SIT will be headed by Assistant Commissioner of Police Joysurja Mukherjee and include Inspector Debasis Dutta, Officer-in-Charge of the Homicide Squad; Inspector Hirak Dalapati, who has been appointed as the new Investigating Officer; Inspector Sarfaraz Ahmed of the Anti-Rowdy Squad; and Sub-Inspectors Manas Bhattacharya and Kushal Mondal of Taratala Police Station.
The probe team has been tasked with investigating the circumstances that led to the collapse of the under-construction private godown near Brace Bridge on Tuesday afternoon.
Meanwhile, Kolkata Police have arrested three persons in connection with the incident. The accused have been identified as Saiyad Md Gulzar, the building supervisor, and labour suppliers Md Ataul and Subhash Chowdhury.
The structure collapsed at around 12.07 pm on Tuesday, triggering a massive rescue operation involving the Army, National Disaster Response Force (NDRF), State Disaster Response Force (SDRF), Kolkata Police, Fire Department, Civil Defence and the Kolkata Municipal Corporation (KMC).
According to the state government, five people lost their lives in the incident, while 20 others sustained injuries. Two of the injured are undergoing treatment in the Intensive Coronary Care Unit (ICCU), while the remaining 18 are reported to be out of danger.
Aam Janata Unnayan Party (AJUP) president Humayun Kabir called for a thorough technical investigation into the incident, alleging that structural or architectural defects may have contributed to the collapse. He said accountability should extend beyond individuals to all those involved in approving, recommending and executing the project.
The tragedy has also sparked a political debate, with state minister Moumita Biswas Misra stressing the need for comprehensive safety audits of buildings and infrastructure to prevent similar incidents in the future.
Authorities said the SIT will examine all aspects of the case, including possible lapses in construction standards, project approvals and safety compliance.
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