Amit Shah alleges corruption behind Kolkata warehouse fire
What's the story
Union Home Minister Amit Shah has slammed the West Bengal government over the recent fire at Anandapur warehouses near Kolkata. He attributed the incident to "corruption" and demanded a detailed investigation. The fire, which started at a decorator's warehouse, soon spread to an adjoining godown of Wow! Momo, with the remains of 25 people recovered after five days, according to officials. Narendrapur police have arrested the manager in charge of the Wow Momo warehouse, as well as his deputy manager.
Probe demand
Shah's scathing attack on Bengal government
Speaking at the BJP Karyakarta Sammelan in North 24 Parganas, Shah questioned the state administration's handling of the incident. He asked, "Whose money is parked in the momo factory? Who has the momo factory owner taken a foreign flight with? Why has the owner not been arrested?" He also criticized the delayed response from authorities, saying it took 32 hours for a minister to reach the spot.
Victim identification
Death toll may increase
The death toll may increase as search operations are still underway. Police have collected 16 DNA samples from victims' relatives for identification purposes. Families of several workers have reported them missing, fearing they might be trapped under the debris. Investigators are looking into whether fire safety norms were followed at the Wow! Momo warehouse, which was 12,000 square feet large and housed packaging materials, drinks, and other items.
Political fallout
Fire incident raises political temperatures in Bengal
The incident has also led to political tensions in the state. Leader of the Opposition Suvendu Adhikari staged a protest at the site, blaming Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee for the tragedy. The PMO announced a one-time compensation of ₹2 lakh to the next of kin of each deceased victim from the Prime Minister's National Relief Fund (PMNRF). In addition, financial assistance of ₹50,000 will be given to each person who sustained injuries in the incident.