Photo Courtesy: India Today Group
Shillong: A deadly fire at Hotel Bideshini Yatri Nibas in West Bengal’s Birbhum district killed eight people early Monday, including five pilgrims from Meghalaya. The blaze ignited around 4:30 am on the ground floor of the five-storey building near the Tarapith Temple. Most guests were asleep when the smoke rose to the upper floors.
The deceased from Meghalaya are Rajendra Nath, Asha Nath, Buran Madak, and two children, 10-year-old Shivraj Madak and 8-year-old Aushnath Madak. All hailed from the Dalu area. Three victims from Alipurduar were identified as Kamal Roy, Amit Pal, and Subir Saha. Officials are still working to confirm the identity of a fourth Alipurduar resident, Rajesh Sharma.
Birbhum Superintendent of Police Vidit Raj Bhundesh reported that rescuers used ladders to save 22 people, while 11 were transported to the hospital. A total of 28 people survived the incident, though seven remain under medical care. "Neither smoke nor flames were visible from the outside," Bhundesh stated.
Meghalaya Chief Minister Conrad K. Sangma announced ex-gratia payments of Rs 2 lakh to the kin of each deceased resident. "This is an unimaginable tragedy for the families," Sangma said. His administration is working with the Birbhum district authorities to transport the bodies home.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi also voiced his grief over the loss of life. While hotel management suggested a short circuit near the reception sparked the fire, the exact cause remains unconfirmed. Police registered an FIR and detained hotel staff for questioning regarding potential failures in the building’s fire-fighting systems. A forensic team will inspect the wreckage soon.
Updated at 18th August 2026 at 2:00pm
Investigators found the hotel's emergency exit was chained shut and the fire alarm system was defunct. The blaze began near the main circuit breaker on the ground floor. A power outage hit the building immediately after the short circuit, plunging the rooms into darkness and trapping guests.
The five victims from Dalu, West Garo Hills, were members of the same family from Dalu Choipani. They had traveled to the temple town to offer holy water on the final Monday of the Bengali month of Shravan. Six other pilgrims from the same group were treated for smoke inhalation and have since been discharged. The hotel owner, Kalyan Pal, has been taken into custody.
Updated at 18th August 2026 at 9:51pm
Forensic experts from the Durgapur laboratory have begun combing through the charred remains of the hotel. Investigators confirmed that the emergency exit was chained shut, blocking the only viable escape route for trapped guests. The facility's fire alarm system was also completely defunct, failing to alert occupants as the smoke spread.
State police confirmed that 11 people from the Meghalaya group were at the hotel during the fire. Six survivors from Dalu—Ganesh Dey, Chandrika Naha, Dolon Naha, Madhabi Modak, Jitipriya Naha, and Jharna Dey—have been discharged from medical care. Meghalaya Director General of Police Idashisha Nongrang stated that post-mortem exams are finished and authorities are currently transporting the bodies of the five victims back to their families in West Garo Hills.
Updated at 19th August 2026 at 10:01am
A total of 11 people from the Meghalaya pilgrimage group were at the hotel when the fire broke out. Six survivors from Dalu, identified as Ganesh Dey, Chandrika Naha, Dolon Naha, Madhabi Modak, Jitipriya Naha, and Jharna Dey, have been discharged from care. President Droupadi Murmu has also expressed her grief and announced central ex gratia assistance alongside the Prime Minister.
Investigators now suspect a short circuit in an air-conditioning unit sparked the fire near the main circuit breaker. While the owner's son, Kalyan Pal, was initially detained, police arrested the hotel's main owner, Tapas Pal, on Tuesday. Following the incident, West Bengal authorities shuttered 15 other hotels in the Tarapith area after finding severe safety and compliance violations.
Comments