Chargesheet filed in Mirza Ghalib Street hotel fire case that claimed 9 lives

According to a report by the Hindustan Times, the Kolkata Police have filed a chargesheet in the case of the massive fire that broke out in August at Shikha Inn hotel located on Mirza Ghalib Street. A total of 9 people died in this tragedy, including 5 Bangladeshi nationals. The investigation revealed that the fire was caused by a short circuit. The police have submitted the chargesheet in court against hotel owner Bireshwar Roy, hotel lessee Abu Zafar, and his wife Saba Zafar. The three accused have been charged with culpable homicide and violation of various safety norms.

The tragedy occurred on August 19 around 2 am. The fire broke out on the second floor of this five-storey old building. The deceased included Bangladeshi journalist Debashish Dutta (40) from Kushtia, his wife Afsana Shimin (25), their 3-year-old son Sharnashish Dutta, and Afsana's father Mohammad Akram Ali (64). According to the Bangladesh Deputy High Commission, the family was returning after medical treatment in Bengaluru and had checked into the hotel on August 18. They were scheduled to return to Bangladesh on August 19. Only the family's 8-year-old daughter Pakhi survived, as she had not accompanied them to India. The fifth Bangladeshi national was identified as Ahmed Babu from Dhaka. The other 4 deceased were Indians, including 23-year-old Sandeep Paswan from Jharkhand, who worked at a hotel located in the same building.

Shikha Inn hotel is one of many small hotels operating in the 15-H building on Mirza Ghalib Street. This building is located just 50 metres away from the headquarters of the West Bengal Fire and Emergency Services. Furthermore, it is situated within one kilometre of the Kolkata Municipal Corporation and the local New Market police station. The investigation revealed that there was only one way to enter and exit the building, which made the situation even more critical.