Tarapith: A predawn blaze turned a hotel in the temple town of Tarapith into a death trap on Monday, killing nine guests, including five members of a family from Meghalaya, on the final Monday of the holy month of Shravan. Unconfirmed reports suggested the toll could rise by one more. Thirty-four people were pulled out of the four-storey Hotel Bideshini, seven of whom are being treated at Rampurhat Government Medical College and Hospital. Hotel owner Kalyan Pal has been arrested.Police and fire officials said the fire started around 4.30 am on the ground floor near the reception, while most guests were asleep. Early findings suggested it might have been sparked by a short circuit in the miniature circuit breaker of an air-conditioning unit.The hotel was packed with pilgrims who had arrived to offer prayers at Maa Tara temple during Shravan. Within minutes, smoke surged through the staircases and corridors. Then the power went out, plunging the building into darkness and panic.Survivors alleged that the rear fire exit was locked, leaving terrified guests with no option but to run through the smoke and flames towards the front entrance. Several suffered burns while trying to escape. Another guest claimed the staircase leading to the rooftop was also blocked.Desperate scenes unfolded across the building. A family from Dum Dum smashed a window to release the choking smoke from their room. Some pilgrims on the upper floors climbed onto a tree beside the hotel. Others jumped into an adjoining pond. One pilgrim from Dinhata in Cooch Behar scrambled down a drain pipe to survive.The Meghalaya family, housed in rooms on the top floor, was trapped in the smoke and flames while coming down. All five died of burns and suffocation, officers said. They were identified as Rajendra Nath, his wife Asha Nath, their eight-year-old son Aushnath Madak, family member Buran Madak and his 10-year-old son Shivraj Madak, all residents of Shib Bari Baganara in South Garo Hills. The four others killed were Kamal Roy, Amit Pal, Subir Saha and Rajesh Sharma, all from Alipurduar.Survivor Munmun Mondal said guests woke to screams and smoke. “Suddenly the entire hotel was engulfed with smoke. We could not breathe and could not find any escape route immediately,” she said.Fire services personnel and police reached the hotel after receiving the emergency call around 5 am. Rescue teams used ladders to reach the upper floors and broke open rooms to bring out trapped guests, several of them unconscious.Niladri Majumdar, officer-in charge of the local fire station, said smoke appeared to have caused most of the deaths. “The fire had spread up to the second floor. There was no fire on the third floor, but there was heavy smoke. The windows, including those near the staircases, were shut, preventing the smoke from escaping,” he said.Police are investigating whether negligence, including the alleged blocking of the fire exit and violation of safety norms, contributed to the tragedy. Birbhum superintendent of police Vidit Raj Bhundesh said strict action would follow if lapses by the hotel management were established.PM Modi expressed grief over the deaths. “I am deeply saddened by the loss of lives in the fire incident in Birbhum. My condolences go out to those who have lost their loved ones. I pray for the speedy recovery of the injured. The local administration is providing assistance to those affected,” Modi said.CM Suvendu Adhikari said he was “deeply pained” by the deaths of pilgrims who had come to Tarapith to pray on the last Monday of Shravan. “Words cannot adequately express the grief I feel for the families who have lost their loved ones,” he said.Adhikari said police had acted swiftly and rescued a large number of people, though the loss of lives could not be prevented. He said the superintendent of police, district magistrate, local MLA Dhruba Saha and minister of state for the fire department Koushik Chowdhury were at the site, coordinating relief and assistance with the administration.“The state has taken strict measures to find out the root cause of this tragedy. Those responsible will not be spared and they will be punished as per law. Appropriate compensation for the victims will be announced in due time,” he said.Former CM Mamata Banerjee also expressed grief over the incident.Birbhum district magistrate Dhaval Jain ordered an immediate fire-safety and electrical audit of all hotels, guest houses and homestays in Tarapith. Officials said inspections would examine emergency exits, wiring, fire alarms, extinguishers and evacuation systems, particularly ahead of the Kaushiki Amavasya festival on Sept 9, when several lakh devotees are expected in the temple town.
