Kolkata Warehouse Fire Tragedy: Two Wow! Momo Officials Arrested Amid Mounting Death Toll
The devastating fire that engulfed two warehouses in Kolkata's Anandapur area has taken a grim turn with the arrest of two senior officials from the popular food chain Wow! Momo. The police have identified the accused as Raja Chakraborty, the company's deputy manager, and Manoranjan Sheet, the warehouse manager. Both were apprehended from the Narendrapur area on Thursday night as investigators probe their specific roles and whereabouts during the early hours of January 26 when the blaze first erupted.
Death Toll Climbs to 25, 27 Still Missing
As rescue operations continue, the official death toll has tragically mounted to 25 individuals, with 27 people still reported missing. The warehouse, heavily stocked with dry food packets and soft drinks, became a tinderbox that fueled the rapid spread of flames around 3 am while workers were sleeping inside the facility. Four days after the incident, the site remains a scene of grim recovery efforts with rescue teams using cranes and gas-cutters to sift through charred remains while distraught families search the perimeter for any sign of their loved ones.
Governor C V Ananda Bose Condemns Systemic Neglect
West Bengal Governor C V Ananda Bose visited the site on Friday to assess the situation, describing the scene as "deeply shocking" and attributing the disaster to systemic neglect. "This is a deeply shocking, tragic, and disturbing scene. Precious human lives have been lost in this fire," Governor Bose stated. He emphasized that there were critical steps that should have been taken before, during, and after the fire broke out, steps that were neglected, leading to this catastrophe.
The Governor alleged a clear failure of oversight, stating: "I am here on a fact-finding exercise, not on a fault-finding exercise. I do not want to blame anybody, but the fact remains that there has been failure on the part of the authorities concerned, else this kind of repeated incident would not have taken place. Exemplary action is required." He confirmed he is preparing an advisory to prevent such "disshappenings" from recurring, calling for mandatory fire audits at all major public and industrial destinations.
Political Protests and Demands for Accountability
The tragedy has sparked significant political unrest, with Suvendu Adhikari, the Leader of the Opposition and BJP leader, leading a protest march from Dhalai Bridge toward the Narendrapur police station following a Calcutta High Court order. Adhikari has demanded the immediate arrest of all those responsible for the lapses that led to the warehouse fire, intensifying pressure on authorities to ensure comprehensive accountability.
Earlier on Friday, a delegation from the Socialist Unity Centre of India attempted to visit the site but was intercepted by police, highlighting the tense atmosphere surrounding the incident. The property owner, Gangadhar Das, has already been remanded in police custody until February 4 as investigations continue into the circumstances that allowed such a tragedy to unfold.
Broader Implications for Industrial Safety
Governor Bose's remarks about "systemic neglect" and his call for mandatory fire audits point to broader concerns about industrial safety standards in Kolkata and beyond. The repeated nature of such incidents, as noted by the Governor, suggests fundamental flaws in oversight mechanisms that require urgent rectification. As the search for the missing continues and families await closure, this tragedy serves as a stark reminder of the human cost when safety protocols are compromised.
