Owner, manager of Kolkata hotel, where fire killed 14, arrested
Kolkata (PTI): The owner and the manager of the central Kolkata hotel, where a devastating fire killed 14 people, were arrested on Thursday, police said.
Akash Chawla, the owner of Rituraj Hotel, and manager Gaurav Kapoor were taken into custody in the morning, they said.
A suo motu case was registered at the Jorasanko police station under various sections of the BNS, including 105 (culpable homicide not amounting to murder), and the West Bengal Fire Services Act against them, they added.
Police said 12 of the 14 bodies recovered from the hotel were identified and their post-mortem examinations completed.
These bodies have been handed over to their families, they said, adding that efforts were underway to ascertain the identities of the remaining two bodies.
There were 88 guests in 42 rooms of the six-storey budget hotel, located in Mechhua in the congested Burrabazar area, when the fire broke out at 8.10 pm on Tuesday.
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Teen killed in alleged honour killing over inter-community relationship, brother, his friend arrest
Manesar, Haryana: Police have arrested two men in connection with the sexual assault and murder of a 19-year-old woman in what investigators describe as a case of honour killing linked to her relationship with a man from another community.
According to the police, the crime was allegedly planned by the woman’s 28-year-old brother. He had sought the help of his 30-year-old friend to carry out the killing and the friend is accused of raping the young woman before murdering her.
The family, originally from Etah and Agra districts of Uttar Pradesh, had been living in Manesar, Haryana, for nearly six years, as reported by Hindustan Times. Police said tensions escalated after the brother discovered that his sister was in a relationship with a 24-year-old man from another community and intended to marry him. Opposed to the relationship, he sent her back to their family home in Etah on November 15.
The woman returned to Manesar on November 22 and began living with her partner. Assistant Commissioner of Police Virender Saini said this prompted the brother to plan killing her. Acting on his directions, the co-accused contacted the woman, posing as someone willing to help her elope and marry her partner.
Trusting him, the woman agreed to meet near Rampura Chowk on the night of December 10 and instead of assisting her, the accused allegedly took her to a secluded area in Gwalior. Police said she was sexually assaulted there and, when she resisted, was beaten and later strangled with her scarf. Her body was subsequently concealed under debris in a field.
Following the murder, both men fled to their native places. During the initial investigation, the brother allegedly tried to divert suspicion towards the woman’s boyfriend, who was briefly detained. He was later released after evidence established that the brother and his friend were present at the crime scene.
Police said the brother later confessed during questioning, while the co-accused acknowledged to the rape and murder. A case has been filed under the relevant provisions of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita for murder, criminal conspiracy, and common intent. Officials stated that forensic evidence, such as DNA analysis, post-mortem discoveries, and medical tests, will be utilized to support the charges.
