Rescue teams continued their search for survivors at the Taratala warehouse collapse site for a second day, with the Indian Army deploying advanced Ground-Penetrating Radar (GPR) to scan the debris for signs of life. The death toll has climbed to eight, while Kolkata Police have arrested five people, including the warehouse owner, in connection with the tragedy.
Army deploys Ground-Penetrating Radar in search operation
Nearly 21 hours after the warehouse roof collapsed in Kolkata's Taratala area, rescue efforts remained in full swing on Thursday. Personnel from multiple agencies worked through the night, and according to sources, five more people were rescued from beneath the rubble on Thursday morning.
To speed up the operation, the Army brought in a Ground-Penetrating Radar, a specialised device used to detect people trapped beneath collapsed structures. The equipment is commonly deployed during avalanche and landslide rescue missions.
Death toll reaches 8 in Taratala warehouse collapse; five arrested in the case. /ANI The radar helps identify signs of life by detecting human pulses beneath the debris. Whenever a signal is picked up, rescue teams begin digging at the identified location.
Officials are also using cameras inserted through narrow gaps in the rubble to check for survivors inside the collapsed structure. Rescue teams said several mobile phones belonging to those trapped are still active. Investigators are using mobile tower locations to help narrow down the search.
With the latest rescue operation, the total number of people pulled out from the site has reached 31. Of them, 23 are undergoing treatment at the Trauma Centre of SSKM Hospital.
Also Read | Taratala warehouse roof collapse: 3 dead as rescuers search for dozens trapped under debris
Death toll rises to eight
Government sources said eight people have died in the collapse. The victims have been identified as:
Krishna Chowdhury (30)
Rohit Chowdhury (40)
Rahul Chowdhury (17)
Chandrama Chowdhury (60)
Pappu Rajak (40)
Azgar Hossain (55)
Sahil Sardar (17)
Ghi Kumar (17)
Five arrested, including warehouse owner
Police have arrested five people in connection with the incident and registered a suo motu case of culpable homicide not amounting to murder.
Those arrested include warehouse owner Shambhunath Behera, who was taken into custody from a residential complex in the Taratala area late on Wednesday night.
Restoration work underway /ANI The other four arrested are structural engineer Kamal Samanta, Gulzar Hossain, supervisor of Ayan Traders, labour supplier Dibakar Bhandari, and Abdul Hamid.
Behera Brothers had leased the warehouse on Transport Depot Road. Police are continuing their investigation to identify whether more people were involved in the case.
Also Read | Taratala warehouse collapse: Army, NDRF deploy drones as rescue operation intensifies
Top officials monitor rescue efforts
Senior government officials remained at the site overnight to oversee the operation. Health Secretary Narayan Swarup Nigam, Kolkata Police Commissioner Ajay Nanda, Kolkata Municipal Corporation Commissioner Smita Pandey and several other senior officials supervised the rescue work.
CM Suvendu Adhikari checks on Taratala warehouse collapse victims at SSKM Hospital. /ANI Chief Minister Suvendu Adhikari also kept a close watch on the situation as the search operation continued.
