4 min readKolkataJun 26, 2026 04:53 AM IST
First published on: Jun 26, 2026 at 04:53 AM IST
“Machine chala rahein hai. Baad mein baat karenge (Right now running the machine, will talk later).” This was the last time 36-year-old Neha Devi heard from her husband Navin Singh on Wednesday morning, hours before the roof of the under-construction warehouse collapsed in Kolkata’s Taratala area, killing at least 11 people and leaving over a dozen trapped in the rubble.
After hearing about the accident, Neha Devi, accompanied by her 18-year-old son, left Raniganj to reach Kolkata. Every time she called on her husband’s mobile phone, it said his phone was switched off.
Since reaching Kolkata late Wednesday night, the mother and son have been frantically searching for Navin.
On Thursday afternoon, their worst fears became true. A family member saw an arm with Navin Singh tattooed on it, realising that he was one of those who died.
As Neha and her son wept uncontrollably, a relative said, “What will happen now? She has two sons and one daughter, and he (Navin) was the sole breadwinner of the family.”
Nearby, the family of 17-year-old Sahil Sardar was shocked by grief.
Sahil, a resident of Basanti, had reached Kolkata for the first time on Wednesday morning to meet his cousins, who worked at the warehouse construction site. On the fateful Wednesday afternoon, Sahil was at the construction site and was crushed by the collapsing roof. “He had come with his uncle. He was very excited to visit Kolkata for the first time. Who would know that this will be his death trip?” said his relative as they waited to get his body from the mortuary.
Among the victims was a family from Munger in Bihar – four brothers, their father and their cousin – who have been working at the construction site for the past 12 days. Among them, Rajendra Kumar (45), his sons – Manik Chand Kumar (21) and Sahid Kumar (20) – are injured and admitted at the SSKM Hospital, while Manu Kumar (24) is admitted in a private hospital and his condition is said to be critical. The youngest brother, 17-year-old Ghee Kumar, was among the dead. “I got a call from Manu at 2 am that he is still stuck inside the rubble and to tell the teams to rescue him. Then, finally, he was pulled out at 6 am. He is critical now, but their youngest brother, Ghee, is no longer alive. Also, their cousin, Sreechand Kumar (19), who was working at the site, is missing,” said a relative.
For Priyanka Mondal, from Shyamnagar, her father, Swapan, 55, had joined the work at the construction site on Wednesday. “It was his first day at the site. My husband is at the spot, and we are searching for my father here, but they are not allowing us to enter inside,” she said as she kept calling her husband to get an update from the accident site. With hopes fading by every passing hour, she said, “What will I tell my mother. She is just saying, bring your father home.”
Meanwhile, Neela Devi, a resident of Hyde Road in Khidirpur, was thanking God for saving her life. She was at SSKM to see one of the injured with whom she worked at that site. She used to give water to the workers at the warehouse site. On Wednesday, she skipped work for personal reasons. Instead, she sent her colleague, Bodan Munda, to supply water. Bodan Munda is admitted to the hospital with serious injuries.
“If I had gone to work yesterday, I might have died or been in the hospital today. Luckily, I survived today. This is my second life.”
The incident reportedly took place while concrete casting work was underway, with around 50 to 60 workers present at the site. (Source: Express Photo) 
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