As the death toll from the Taratala warehouse collapse rose to 11, a closer look at the victims’ lives reveals the shattered hopes and expectations of those they left behind.
The migrant labourers from Paschim and Purba Bardhaman as well as Nadia were mostly young part-time labourers who had joined the construction work at the warhouse.
While Rohit Chowdhury (20) hailed from Ghazipur Panchayat area near Agradwip in Purba Bardhaman’s Katwa, Naveen Singh (26) was from Paschim Bardhaman’s Raniganj. Rahul Chowdhury (18) and Chandrama Chowdhury (45) were from Krishnanagar in Nadia.
Speaking to The Statesman, Rohit’s cousin Bikash said, “He had left home six months ago to serve at the Taratala project. He had come last time during elections and was scheduled to come in July to attend our uncle’s wedding.”
Rohit’s mother Mamata is a vegetable seller and his father is suffering from paralysis for the last 15 years.
Mamata told The Statesman, “My son was ambitious and wanted to become an engineer. Faulty engineering claimed his life yesterday.”
On the other hand, Naveen’s family had migrated to Raniganj town from Bihar’s Munger. His family rushed to Taratala Thursday morning.
Speaking to The Statesman, Naveen’s mother said, “He had called me at 11:30 am, barely half an hour before the fatal incident.”
“There’s no trace of my son. His name was not visible in the list at the Trauma care centre of SSKM Hospital,” she said.
Reports indicate that six workers from Char Shambhu Nagar, Nadia had gone to the Taratala warehouse. They were working under a contractor identified as Kamal Samanta. Two of them came home this Sunday on leave, four stayed back at their work place.
As per one of the workers, Akash Chowdhury, concrete filling was being poured into an iron frame. However the rear portion started sagging from Wednesday morning, he claimed. While repair work was underway on the engineer’s order, the entire structure gave in, trapping around 50 workers under the debris.
Police sources said that the contractor Samanta is absconding and his phone has been switched off.