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West Bengal Chief Minister Suvendu Adhikari on Wednesday said that around 12-15 people are still feared trapped under debris after an under-construction godown shed collapsed in Kolkata's Taratala area.
Earlier, he confirmed that three people have died and 21 have been rescued so far. Addressing a press conference after returning from the incident site, Adhikari said the collapse took place in the afternoon, and NDRF, Army, SDRF, Police, and the Fire Department are working together to rescue people. "This is a very unfortunate incident. The rescue operation is underway. State Minister Agnimitra Paul and other officials visited the spot. I have just visited the spot. The incident took place at 12:07 PM... NDRF, Army, SDRF, Police, and the Fire Department are all working together. 12-15 people are still trapped inside, and the Army has established contact with them. 21 people have been taken out. 18 people are undergoing treatment and three people have lost their lives," he said. He further said that 18 people are alive, while nine injured are undergoing treatment at SSKM Hospital. "The incident took place at 12:07 in the afternoon, and the rescue work started from 12:45. People from Kolkata Police, Civil Defence and KMC... The rescue work is still going on. It would not be right to come to a final conclusion right now. 21 people have recovered till now. Out of them, three are dead, eighteen are alive, and nine are receiving treatment in SSKM Hospital," he said. He further stated that preliminary information suggested issues related to the sanctioned plan of the construction. "The project plan was approved on January 17th 2026. The owner of the land is SMPA, and it has a lease on the land in the name of Shambhunath Behera and partners. As per initial information, a wrong plan was initially sanctioned," Adhikari said. On the compensation, Adhikari said, "I will not say anything about the compensation because the Assembly session is underway; I will speak in the Assembly tomorrow with the Speaker's permission." In a post shared on X, Adhikari said he was "deeply pained and saddened" by the tragic loss of lives in the incident near Brace Bridge in Taratala, where workers were trapped under debris after the structure collapsed. "Deeply pained and saddened by the tragic loss of lives due to the collapse of an under-construction warehouse building near Brace Bridge in Taratala, where several workers got trapped beneath the debris. So far, 21 people have been pulled out of the collapsed structure, out of which 18 are injured and 3 people have lost their lives," he said. He further expressed condolences to the bereaved families and assured support to the affected. "Words fail to express my sorrow for the precious lives lost in this tragedy. My deepest condolences go out to their bereaved families. The state government stands firmly with them in this hour of unimaginable grief and we will extend all possible support to them," Adhikari said. Highlighting ongoing rescue efforts, the West Bengal CM said multiple agencies were engaged in coordinated operations. "The Army, NDRF, SDRF, Kolkata Police and KMC are jointly conducting the rescue operations to ensure every trapped worker is brought to safety as quickly as possible. I pray for the quick recovery of those who got injured," he said. Adhikari also said he had instructed the Urban Development and Municipal Affairs (UDMA) Department to closely monitor the situation, adding that a minister was already present at the site overseeing operations. "I have instructed the UDMA Department to closely coordinate the entire operation. MoS Dr. Indranil Khan is already present at the site and is personally supervising the ongoing rescue efforts. I am personally reaching the spot right now to take stock of the situation on the ground," he said. https://x.com/SuvenduWB/status/2069740851220361507 The three deceased were identified as Rohit Chowdhari (40), Krishna Chowdhury (30), and an unidentified male aged 30 while injured persons include Durbasha Mallan (56), Mani Chand Kumar (22), Sahid Kumar (26), Rajesh Ruidas (25), Biswa Prakash (28), Bodan Munda (28, female), Rajendra Rao (55), and Ram Prasad Choudhury (21). Rescue operations involving the Army, NDRF, SDRF, Kolkata Police, fire services, and civic authorities are continuing at the site, with officials monitoring the situation closely. (ANI)
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