Park Street fire: DNA tests to be conducted on charred bodies

KOLKATA - Forensic experts will on Thursday conduct DNA tests on the charred bodies that were recovered from the scarred interiors of the Stephen Court building on Park Street on Wednesday as relatives messed up in identifying the bodies that led to a dispute.

The dispute will be solved through DNA tests.

Kolkata Police had on Wednesday arrested the caretaker of Stephen Court, Tarun Bagaria, and his assistant Ramshankar Singh. They were picked up from the office of building owner Sanjay Bagaria, whose role is now under the scanner.

Bagaria, a city-based businessman, has investments in jute and steel industries and he is said to be one of the owners of the building or one of the members of a trust that owns it.

The police, meanwhile, are now looking for directors and board members of the company, but not confirming names.

An FIR has been registered against ‘the owners of the premises, his associates and those responsible for maintenance.’

Cases have been filed under Section 304 - culpable homicide, a non-bailable offence; Section 285 - negligent act causing fire and under several fire laws.

The death toll was on Wednesday reported to be over 24. Most people killed in the blaze were young recruits at a call centre and a few other offices on the top floors who didn’t know where the stairways were.

The West Bengal Government has announced a compensation of Rs 2 lakh for the next of kin of those killed and ordered a high level probe into the fire that swept through the three floors of the multi-storied Stephen Court building on Park Street on Tuesday afternoon. (ANI)