Published : 20 Aug 2026, 05:19 PM
Updated : 08 Sep 2026, 09:34 AM
Police have arrested Abu Zafar, the leaseholder of Shikha Inn in Kolkata, where a fire has killed nine people.
Detectives arrested Zafar in Entally Main Market on Wednesday night, while hotel owner Bireshwar Mitra remains untraceable.
Anandabazar reported that two others have also been arrested, although their identities have not been disclosed.
Citing sources, the newspaper said one of them works at Yapon, a hotel next to Shikha Inn.
The fire broke out late Tuesday night at the hotel, killing nine people, including seven Bangladeshis.
The hotel occupies the third floor of a building on Mirza Ghalib Street near New Market.
The blaze later spread to neighbouring buildings.
Guests were asleep when the fire broke out. As their rooms filled with smoke, they rushed to escape, triggering a scramble in the building's narrow access passage.
Four Kolkata Fire Service vehicles reached the scene after the alarm was raised.
New Market Police Station personnel and disaster management teams also joined the rescue operation.
Local residents told Anandabazar that flames were not visible from outside, but thick black smoke was pouring from the building.
Police and firefighters rescued 60 people from the building. Many had lost consciousness from smoke inhalation and were taken to hospital.
