Nine Dead in Kolkata Hotel Fire; Owner in Custody
Nine people died in the August 19 fire at Shikha Inn on Mirza Ghalib Street; police have identified the owner, who is in custody.
2 reports on this incident · first at Aug 22, 2026, 2:23 p.m. ET
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Earlier reports
Aug 22, 2026, 2:23 p.m. ETFirst report
Nine Dead in Kolkata Hotel Fire; Owner in Custody
A massive fire engulfed Shikha Inn, a hotel on Mirza Ghalib Street in central Kolkata, early on Wednesday, August 19, killing nine people, according to police. The fire department and Kolkata Police responded to the incident, which is no longer active.
Police have taken the hotel's owner, Bireshwar Mitra, into custody in connection with the incident. The identities of the deceased have not been released by officials.
Agnimitra Paul, West Bengal's Urban Development and Municipal Affairs Minister, said, "Notices do not serve any purpose. If guests are staying in the hotel, give them 24 hours to vacate and then seal it. If all the documents are subsequently found to be in order, it can be reopened." The Kolkata Municipal Corporation is also involved in the response.
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Sources
- Four days after Kolkata hotel fire killed nine, owner arrestedindianexpress.com
Revision history
- Version 122 Aug 2026, 18:23current
First published.
- Version 122 Aug 2026, 18:53current
First published.
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