Daijiworld Media Network - Kolkata
Kolkata, Jan 31: The tragic fire at a Wow Momo warehouse in Anandapur, Kolkata, that claimed over 20 lives, saw fresh developments on Friday as two company officials were remanded to six-day police custody. Manager Raj Chakraborty and Deputy Manager Manoranjan Sheeth were taken into custody following the earlier arrest of warehouse owner Gangadhar Das.
West Bengal Governor C V Ananda Bose visited the site and stressed shared responsibility, saying, “The law enforcement agencies, the owner of the warehouse, all are responsible in equal measure for the mishap that has taken place.”
The incident has sparked political tensions in the state. The BJP alleged gross negligence and violations of fire safety norms, calling it a “man-made tragedy” and pointing to alleged links between the warehouse owner and the state administration. Meanwhile, TMC spokesperson Kunal Ghosh described the fire as an “unfortunate accident” and urged that the probe not be politicised.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi announced an ex-gratia of Rs 2 lakh for the families of the deceased and Rs 50,000 for those injured.
Investigations into the cause of the fire and safety lapses continue, with authorities under pressure to ensure accountability.