Kolkata Hotel Fire Owner Arrested After Nine Deaths

The absconding owner of the Shikha Inn hotel in New Market, Kolkata, has been arrested by police following a massive fire that claimed nine lives.

Hotel Owner Arrested from Behala

Police arrested hotel owner Vireshwar Rao from his home on Diamond Harbour Road in Behala on Saturday. According to police sources, he fled to Jharkhand in his car after the fire broke out on Tuesday night and hid there. Police took action after receiving information about his return home on Saturday. Earlier, three people including the person running the hotel on lease had been detained.

Fire Incident and Casualties

The fire at the Shikha Inn hotel in the New Market area late Tuesday night took a horrific turn, resulting in the deaths of nine people. Seven of the deceased were Bangladeshi citizens. Firefighters recovered the bodies from inside the hotel during the rescue operation. The incident raised serious questions about the fire safety arrangements and security measures of the hotel.

Action Against Unsafe Hotels

Following the accident, the administration accelerated the inspection of security arrangements in hotels and guest houses around the New Market area, specifically checking for shortcomings in fire systems, emergency exits, and safety standards. A joint team of the municipal corporation and fire department shut down 11 hotels in the New Market area on Friday, followed by the closure of six more hotels on Saturday.