Kolkata: Police Arrest 3, 27 Still Missing in Anandpur Warehouse Fire

As investigations are underway into the devastating warehouse fire in Kolkata's Anandpur area, the Baruipur police have arrested three individuals so far. Along with that, 21 biological samples have been sent for profiling by the police, who have received missing person reports for 27 individuals connected to the incident.

The fatalities in the incident, which occurred on January 26, have reportedly risen to 25, while several others are still missing.

Meanwhile, Prime Minister Narendra Modi expressed deep sorrow over the tragedy and extended condolences to the families of the victims. Announcing financial assistance, the Prime Minister said an ex gratia amount of Rs 2 lakh would be provided to the next of kin of each deceased, while those injured would receive Rs 50,000.

In a post on X, the Prime Minister’s Office said the compensation would be disbursed from the Prime Minister’s National Relief Fund (PMNRF). “The fire mishap in Anandapur, West Bengal, is extremely tragic and distressing. My condolences to those who have lost their loved ones. I pray for the speedy recovery of the injured,” it read.

The recent fire mishap in Anandapur, West Bengal is very tragic and saddening. My condolences to those who have lost their loved ones. I pray that those injured recover at the earliest.

An ex-gratia of Rs. 2 lakh from PMNRF would be given to the next of kin of each deceased. The…

— PMO India (@PMOIndia) January 30, 2026

Earlier in the day, Leader of the Opposition in the West Bengal Assembly and BJP leader Suvendu Adhikari led a protest rally over the incident. Addressing supporters, Adhikari alleged administrative apathy and claimed that those who had died or were missing belonged to the Hindu community, asserting that they did not form part of Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee’s electoral support base.

The fire broke out in the early hours of Monday, triggering large-scale rescue and relief operations. Fire services rushed multiple tenders to the spot to control the blaze, while police cordoned off the area to assist emergency responders.

Separately, BJP leader Amit Malviya alleged that Trinamool Congress-backed outfit Bangla Pakkho had claimed on social media that as many as 50 people had died in the fire. Sharing a post on X on Wednesday, Malviya said such claims raised serious concerns about the handling of the incident.

Calling for a Special Investigation Team (SIT) probe, Malviya said that, given what he described as the state government’s poor record, the investigation should be conducted by a Supreme Court-monitored SIT to ensure accountability. He also questioned why state minister Sujit Bose failed to visit the site for nearly 32 hours after the incident, calling the delay unacceptable.