The residents of Chalantika slum express their resentment saying that they think their slum was set on fire as part of a conspiracy.

On Friday (Jan 24) dawn, a fire razed the slum and many shacks were burnt to ash. Fifteen fire service teams managed to bring the blaze under control at 5:45 am.

Around 300 shacks were destroyed by the blaze and the people feel that this was done deliberately to evict them from the slum.

Fire Service and Civil Defence has formed a five-member probe committee with deputy direction Debashish Bardhan as head and they have been asked to submit papers within 15 working days.

Most of the slum dwellers are seen helpless son the roads as the area was being cleaned.

Hasina Begum, a resident of the slum, says: “When the fire started we were asleep. Hearing a commotion, we came out and then there was a big blast, similar to the explosion of a gas cylinder.”

Debashish Bardhan says: “To find out the source of fire, we will talk to the affected people of the slum. We are hopeful that after the probe, the source of the fire will be ascertained.”