Kolkata flyover collapse: Commotion, despair prevail at hospitals

Kolkata: A sense of despair and gloom prevailed at the Calcutta Medical College Hospital, the Marwari Relief Society Hospital, R.G. Kar Medical College Hospital and Bishudananda Hospital where the rescued persons injured in the flyover collapse near Ganesh Talkies at Burrabazar on Thursday have been lodged.

Death toll in the flyover collapse has risen to 24. The army and other rescue teams have battled all through the night to rescue people still trapped under the rubble.

Among the 24 deceased, 11 have been identified. Golap Mali, a resident of Lalmadhab Mukherjee Lane, Samar Thakur, a resident of Ultadanga, Mahadeb Adak of Santragachi, Howrah, died at the Marwari Relief Society Hospital. Sanjay Mehrotra of Ramdulal Sarkar Street, Tapan Dutta of Tagore Castle Street, Asha Jyoti of Baguihati, Prakash Dhali of Haringhata, Nadia, Ajoy Kondai and Sarita Kondai of P.K. Tagore Street, Gajendra Sethia of M.D. Road died at CMCH, while Rajib Shaw of Dum Dum died at R.G. Kar Hospital.

Most of them were declared brought dead at the hospitals while one or two succumbed to their injuries soon. “My brother Kachi Das was trapped at the site for four-and-a-half hours. He is very critical. Why was the Army not called in early from Fort William?” alleged Madhab Das, his relative. “My husband is no more. He use to run a cigarette shop there,” wife of Golap Mali said with tears running down her cheeks.