Kolkata hotel owner arrested over deadly fire that killed nine

The owner of a Kolkata hotel where a devastating fire killed nine people, including seven Bangladeshis, has been arrested, according to Indian police.

Biryeshwar Mitra, the main owner of the residential hotel on Mirza Ghalib Street in the Dharmatala area, was arrested from his residence on Diamond Harbour Road in Behala on Saturday (August 22).

He is the second person to be arrested in connection with the fire. Hotel leaseholder Abu Jafar was arrested earlier.

The fire broke out around midnight last Tuesday at the five-storey building, killing seven Bangladeshi and two Indian nationals. The tragedy triggered widespread scrutiny of the hotel's fire-safety arrangements and legal compliance.

Investigators found that the building lacked basic emergency evacuation facilities. The entire five-storey structure reportedly had only one lift and a single iron staircase for movement and escape.

Police said Mitra had leased the Shikha Inn hotel, located on the third and fifth floors of the building, to two separate parties. Abu Jafar was responsible for one section, while the other had been leased to Umesh and Jitendra Singh.

Investigators are questioning the remaining leaseholders as part of the probe. Mitra is being produced before a court over allegations of culpable negligence resulting in death and violations of fire-safety regulations.