Anandapur inferno: DNA confirms 18; Aid released

Kolkata: Nearly three weeks after the devastating warehouse fire in the Nazirabad area of Anandapur, families of the victims have reportedly received compensation from the state government, even as identification of all the deceased remains incomplete.

According to official sources, 27 people were reported missing by their families following the blaze. During the search operation, charred human remains were recovered from the gutted warehouse premises. Given the extent of the damage, visual identification was not possible, prompting authorities to conduct DNA testing.

So far, 18 bodies have reportedly been identified through DNA matching, while the remaining test results are still awaited. Family members had submitted blood samples to assist in the forensic process. Until the identification is formally confirmed in all cases, several families remain in painful uncertainty.

Despite this, compensation - reportedly Rs 10 lakh per family - has already been disbursed to the kin of those presumed dead. While some accepted the aid as necessary support, others expressed anguish over receiving financial relief before being able to perform the last rites of their loved ones.

They reportedly questioned how compensation could be processed when final identification is still pending.