Indian Army, NDRF conduct search and rescue ops after 5 die in Kolkata's warehouse roof collapse

The West Bengal government has launched an SIT probe into the fatal roof collapse in Kolkata's Taratala area after five people died due to the accident.

According to the official release, the Special Investigation Team (SIT) will be headed by Assistant Commissioner of Police Joysurja Mukherjee. On Thursday, the Indian Army and the NDRF were seen conducting search and rescue operations at the site.

"A Special Investigation Team (SIT) is hereby constituted for investigation of Taratala PS Case No. 74 dated 24.06.2026 u/s 105/110/3(5) BNS after transferring the Case to the Detective Department, Kolkata. The SIT, comprising the following members, shall be headed by the Deputy Commissioner of Police, Detective Department, Kolkata," the official statement said.

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The three-storey under-construction godown belonged to a tea company. It was located on Transport Depot Road near Brace Bridge in the area.

ABP Ananda reported that construction workers were installing iron beams and pouring concrete from above while gradually moving downward at the time of the accident. Of the three storeys, the upper two storeys had already been concreted, while concreting work on the first-floor roof was underway at the time of the accident.

Govt halts all constructions in city

West Bengal Chief Minister Suvendu Adhikari has said that “faulty” construction plans of the warehouse received sanction from the KMC on January 17 this year, during the TMC regime.

“What I saw convinced me that the collapse did not take place on account of the rains or possible soft soil on which the construction was taking place. It was because of a faulty structural design in which the iron beams weren’t able to take the load of concrete and crumbled to the ground,” Adhikari said.

“I have directed the KMC commissioner and the Urban Development and Municipal Affairs Department to stop work at all under-construction projects approved by the previous government, especially commercial buildings, including projects where permission was granted after filling up water bodies. They will undergo an audit. Construction work at such sites will remain suspended till July 31,” he said.

Arrests made

Meanwhile, the West Bengal police have arrested three people in connection with the case, including a building supervisor and two labour suppliers.

According to West Bengal CMO, the arrested individuals have been identified as Saiyad Md Gulzar, the building supervisor, and labour suppliers Md Ataul and Subhash Chowdhury.

With inputs from agencies