Police on Monday arrested nine persons, including four from the Oreva group that was managing the Morbi suspension bridge, and filed a case against firms tasked with maintenance and operation of the British era structure which collapsed, killing 134 people.
Video footage emerged of the moments before Sunday’ evening’s deadly collapse, showing the bridge snapping in a few seconds, taking down scores of visitors seen walking on the swaying British-era structure which reopened five days ago after extensive repair but sans a fitness certificate.
“Nine people have been arrested in the Morbi bridge collapse case. They include two managers and two ticket booking clerks of Oreva group that was managing the bridge,” Rajkot Range IG Ashok Yadav said, informing media of the criminal investigation into the tragedy that has shocked the country.
The death toll in the bridge collapse has mounted to 134, he said.
A day after the bridge, crammed with visitors, came crashing down sending people tumbling into the river below, rescue operation continued as authorities looked for survivors.
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 300km from the state capital Gandhinagar, collapsed around 6.30pm on Sunday.
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The state information department said five teams of the National Disaster Response Force (NDRF), six platoons of the State Disaster Response Force (SDRF), a team of the Air Force, two columns of the Army, and two teams of the Indian Navy apart from local rescue teams were involved in the operation.
Sanghavi told reporters the state government has formed a committee to conduct a probe into the bridge collapse.
Police have registered an FIR (first information report) on charges of culpable homicide not amounting to murder and attempt to commit culpable homicide against agencies given the task of maintenance and operation of the bridge.
In the FIR lodged at the Morbi ‘B’ division police station on Sunday night, police have shown “agencies responsible for maintenance and management of the hanging bridge” as the main accused.
The FIR, lodged by ‘B’ division police inspector Prakash Dekivadia, stated that the bridge over the Machchhu river was not in use for nearly eight months as the local administration had roped in a “private agency” for its maintenance.
After completion of the maintenance, the agency opened the bridge for the public on October 26, the FIR said.
As per the FIR, the incident took place because of the “callous approach” of the agency people.
The FIR further stated that persons concerned or agencies did not pay attention to the quality of maintenance as well as repair work of the bridge.
The bridge was opened for tourists by the agency despite knowing that their “callous approach” in the maintenance and management of the bridge may lead to human deaths, the FIR stated.
“We have lodged an FIR and are trying to establish contact with the Oreva company’s staff who were on duty at the bridge yesterday,” SP Rahul Tripathi said.
