Owner, CEO of Kolkata’s Bagri market missing since Sunday, police register FIR | Kolkata - Hindustan Times
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Owner, CEO of Kolkata’s Bagri market missing since Sunday, police register FIR

Hindustan Times, Kolkata | ByHT Correspondent
Sep 18, 2018 07:44 PM IST

Radha Bagree and Krishna Kumar Kothari were reported missing hours after the devastating fire that broke out in the six-storied market building and ruined more than 400 shops in Kolkata.

The owner and chief executive officer (CEO) of Bagri Estate Private Limited, the holding company for Kolkata’s Bagri market that was gutted in a fire, went missing on Sunday, police said.

Smoke rises from a building as firefighters try to douse a fire at Bagri Market, at Burrabazar, in Kolkata.(HT Photo)
Smoke rises from a building as firefighters try to douse a fire at Bagri Market, at Burrabazar, in Kolkata.(HT Photo)

Radha Bagree and Krishna Kumar Kothari were reported missing hours after the devastating fire that broke out in the six-storied market building and ruined more than 400 shops.

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Police on Tuesday registered a suo motu FIR against both for alleged negligence in maintaining fire safety measures as per prescribed norms, confirmed Bengal fire services minister and Kolkata mayor Sovan Chatterjee.

A day before, a team of Kolkata Police officers had visited the residence of Kothari at Burabazar, the same area where the ill-fated market is located.

“We saw that the residence was locked. The locals informed us that they have seen the doors locked since Sunday morning. They also confirmed that neither Kothari, nor any of his family members, was seen since then,” said a member of the police team that visited his residence.

Officers said Kothari was responsible for maintenance and ensuring the security and fire safety measures of the building.

“The traders who took rooms on lease alleged that during the time of lease or rent agreement, Kothari took handsome amounts from them in the name of maintenance and fire security,” the police officer said.

Similarly, Radha Bagree along with his son and daughter-in-law left their residence at Ballygunje Place in South Kolkata since 9 on Sunday morning.

The main residence was locked and the cook of the family was there at the adjacent servants’ quarter.

Bimal Giri, the cook, told the media on Tuesday that on Sunday Radha Bagree first went out, telling Giri that she will have breakfast at a hotel.

“Soon after her son and daughter-in-law also left. None of them has returned since. I do not know where they are now,” Giri said.

At the market, a few pocket fires were noticed even on Tuesday morning.

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