15 dead in Kolkata hotel fire; SIT formed as political row erupts

A devastating fire at the low-cost Rituraj Hotel in central Kolkata’s Mechuapatti area on Tuesday evening claimed 15 lives, including a woman and two children, and left 13 others injured. The blaze, which broke out around 7:30 pm, was brought under control nearly 10 hours later, around 1 am on Wednesday, after ten fire tenders were deployed to the site.

Kolkata Police Commissioner Manoj Kumar Verma confirmed the death toll and announced the formation of a Special Investigation Team (SIT) to probe the cause of the fire and assess the safety measures in place. "The investigation will also examine the difficulties guests faced during evacuation," he told reporters.

Most victims died of suffocation, with one person reportedly succumbing after jumping from the building in an attempt to escape. Preliminary investigations suggest that many guests were unable to exit their rooms in time as the fire rapidly spread through the five-storey hotel, which sits atop a commercial storage facility. Thick smoke engulfed the building, trapping several of the 88 guests who were staying in 42 rooms at the time of the incident.

A senior police officer noted that 11 men were among the dead, eight of whom have been identified so far. Forensic experts are expected to inspect the site, which remains cordoned off. The condition of several injured individuals is said to be critical.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi expressed grief over the incident, extending condolences to the victims' families. An ex gratia of Rs 2 lakh from the Prime Minister’s National Relief Fund (PMNRF) will be provided to the next of kin of each deceased, and Rs 50,000 will be given to each injured person.

The tragedy has sparked a political backlash. West Bengal BJP president and Union Minister Sukanta Majumdar criticised the state administration’s response, urging immediate relief measures and a comprehensive review of fire safety norms. In a post on X, he stated, “I urge the state administration to immediately rescue those affected, ensure their safety, and provide them with necessary medical and humanitarian assistance.”

Majumdar also launched a scathing attack on Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee, accusing her of “insensitivity” for attending an inauguration ceremony in Digha while the fire was unfolding in the state capital. “Her silence and absence during such a grave incident show a complete lack of empathy,” he said, calling on BJP workers to assist in relief efforts.

BJP leader Dilip Ghosh echoed similar sentiments, blaming illegal construction and governmental apathy for the disaster. “There is a lot of illegal construction everywhere. The government is corrupt and hence permits these structures. Safety regulations must be enforced,” he told IANS.

As Kolkata mourns the lives lost, the SIT’s findings are expected to shed light on lapses in fire safety and accountability in one of the city’s busiest commercial zones.

With agency inputs