Fire breaks out in Kolkata's Topsia area, 60 shanties gutted; TMC councillor manhandled

At least 12 fire tenders were pressed into service and it took a little less than three hours to douse the fire at the site, in KMC's ward no 66, the official said. The blaze was first spotted around 3.30pm.

Around 60 shanties were gutted in a major fire that broke out in the city's Topsia area on Tuesday afternoon, a fire department official said. At least 12 fire tenders were pressed into service and it took a little less than three hours to douse the fire at the site, in KMC's ward no 66, the official said.

The blaze was first spotted around 3.30 pm. "No one sustained any injury. The fire was brought under control at around 5.50 pm. The cooling process is still on," the official added.

Fire and Emergency Services minister Sujit Basu had rushed to the spot to supervise the firefighters. TMC councilor of adjacent ward Sushanta Kumar Ghosh, who also visited the site, however, was manhandled by locals.

His vehicle was ransacked by a mob, police sources said. The councilor's supporters and other party workers rescued him and took him to a hospital, the sources said.

Ghosh alleged that the ward coordinator Faiaz Ahmad Khan's supporters had attacked him. Later in the evening, Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee took stock of the situation at the site of the incident.