Kolkata Fire: Among the dead, a family from Bangladesh and a hotel staffer from Jharkhand

On a fateful Tuesday night in Kolkata, a fire erupted at the Shikha Inn in New Market area, turning the guests' nightmare into reality. Among the victims were a family from Bangladesh and a young hotel staff member from Jharkhand. The fire broke out at around 2:30 am, causing panic among the guests.

Among the nine people who lost their lives, Prithvi, a 20-year-old from Uttar Pradesh, and Sandeep Paswan, a 19-year-old from Jharkhand, were identified. Prithvi and his friend Pankaj Agari had come to the city for sightseeing, but their night turned deadly when they heard screams around 2:30 am. Despite the danger, they managed to escape by jumping from the third-floor balcony onto asbestos units and then onto an unknown location, where Prithvi sustained a leg injury.

The victims from Bangladesh included Kawsar Hossain, his family, and Debashis Dutta, his wife Afsana Shirmin, their four-year-old son, and Afsana's father. The family had arrived in India on August 3 and was reportedly in Kolkata for Afsana's medical treatment. Dutta described how the night ended in tragedy, with his family among the nine lives lost in the blaze.

Hotel staffer Sandeep Paswan, a 19-year-old from Jharkhand, worked at the hotel. He had left his studies to support his family after his father's death. His uncle, Sitaram Paswan, was heartbroken upon learning of Sandeep's passing.