West Bengal Civil Defence Quick Response Team (QRT), police personnel, firefighters, forensic and other officials gather to inspect the site after a fire broke out at a dingy five-storey building on Mirza Galib Street, leaving at least nine people, including a four-year-old child, dead and six others injured in the incident, in Kolkata, West Bengal, early Wednesday, Aug. 19, 2026. Photo |PTI
West Bengal

Kolkata hotel fire: Leaseholder arrested, two others detained over alleged safety violations

The blaze swept through a five-storey building housing several hotels on Mirza Ghalib Street, killing nine people, including a four-year-old child, and injuring six others.

TNIE online desk

The leaseholder of a hotel in central Kolkata, where nine people were killed in a fire a day ago, was arrested while two others were detained for questioning in connection with the incident, police said on Thursday.

Abu Zafar, leaseholder of Shikha Inn, was detained from his residence in the Jorasanko area on Wednesday night and later arrested, a senior police officer said.

"Zafar was apprehended from his residence in the Jorasanko area. Two more persons have been detained and are being questioned," the officer said.

The blaze swept through a five-storey building housing several hotels on Mirza Ghalib Street, killing nine people, including a four-year-old child, and injuring six others. Several Bangladeshis were among those killed.

Shikha Inn, located on the building's third floor, occupied around 1,100 square feet and had five small rooms, the officer said.

The Kolkata Police Detective Department's Special Investigation Team has intensified its probe into alleged fire safety violations and the use of a residential building to operate hotels, he added.

(With inputs from PTI)

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