Morbi Cable Bridge Collapse: Contractors Among 9 Arrested; PM Chairs High-level Meeting to Review Rescue Ops
Prime Minister Narendra Modi held a high-level meeting to review the rescue operation in Morbi, an official statement said.
Police have arrested nine people on Monday, including maintenance contractors of the bridge in Gujarat Morbi city which collapsed, killing 134 people. Prime Minister Narendra Modi held a high-level meeting to review the rescue operation in Morbi, an official statement said. PM Modi had earlier in a statement said the government will leave no stone unturned to help the victims of the cable bridge collapse. The death toll in Morbi suspension bridge collapse rose to 134, a senior Gujarat police official said, adding that the rescue operation was still underway. Gujarat Chief Minister Bhupendra Patel and Minister of State for Home Harsh Sanghavi remained in Morbi during the night to oversee the rescue operation being conducted by multiple agencies.
The more than a century-old bridge on the Machchhu river in Morbi, located around 300 km from the state capital Gandhinagar, had reopened five days ago after extensive repairs and renovation. It was crammed with people when it collapsed around 6.30 pm on Sunday.
Eyewitnesses said there were several women and children on the British era “hanging bridge” when it snapped, plunging them into the water below. Some people were seen jumping on the bridge and pulling its big wires, an eyewitness said. The bridge may have collapsed due to the “huge crowd” on it, he added.
People fell over each other when the bridge collapsed, he said.
“I had come to the riverbank along with friends after my office hours when we heard the sound of the bridge snapping. We rushed there and jumped into the water to save people,” an eyewitness said.
“We rescued some children and women,” he said.
A man who was injured in the incident, said the collapse was sudden and may have been due to too many people on the bridge.
After the collapse, all that remained of the bridge was part of the metal carriageway hanging down from one end into the dark water, its thick cables snapped in places.
At the local hospital people formed a human chain to hold back crowds and keep the road clear for ambulances which brought those rescued.
Gujarat Minister of State for Home Harsh Sanghavi said a five-member high-powered committee has been formed to probe the bridge collapse. It includes Roads and Buildings department secretary Sandeep Vasava and four other senior officers.
An FIR was lodged in the bridge collapse under sections 304 (culpable homicide not amounting to murder), 308 (intentional act causing death) and 114 (abettor present when offence committed), against whoever is found responsible, Sanghavi said.
