India: Many children among 141 victims of bridge collapse – Authorities arrest 9 people

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Ashok Yadav, a senior police official, said the names of those arrested would be released later today.

Many children are among the 141 dead since the collapse of a suspension bridge in India, while police have arrested nine people as part of an investigation into one of the country’s deadliest accidents in a decade.

Video taken just before the bridge collapsed showed a group of young men taking pictures while others tried to swing it from side to side before it collapsed into the river below when the cables holding it gave way.

Police in the state of Gujarat, where the tragedy occurred, announced that they had arrested nine people after launching a criminal investigation against unnamed persons responsible for the renovation, maintenance and management of the bridge.

Ashok Yadav, a senior police official, said the names of those arrested would be released later on Monday.

Local officials pointed out that the bridge’s operator, clock and electronics maker Oreva, had failed to inform authorities of the bridge’s reopening last week following maintenance work, adding that no safety certificate had been issued. .

The 233-meter-long suspension bridge, built in 1880 on the Machu River that runs through the town of Morbi, was packed on Sunday night with people attending events to participate in religious celebrations. When it collapsed the people on it fell about 10 meters deep into the river.

About 400 people had bought tickets to climb the bridge on the occasion of Diwali.

About 35 of the victims were under the age of 14, according to the death toll obtained by Reuters. About 170 people had been rescued as of this morning.

“People were hanging from the bridge after the accident, but they slipped and fell into the river when it collapsed,” said Razu, an eyewitness.

An official pointed out that the murky waters of the river are making the work of rescuers difficult and added that there may be people trapped under the debris of the bridge.

Crowding

Gujarat-based company Oreva has been responsible for maintaining the bridge for 15 years, said Sandipsinh Zhala, head of Morbi authorities.

“We have not been informed that they are reopening the bridge to the public,” he added. “We had not issued a certificate of suitability.”
An MP from the area accused the company of selling tickets to enter the bridge without restrictions, complaining that it collapsed because of the coalition.

Previously local authorities were responsible for the maintenance and management of the bridge and allowed up to 20 people on the bridge at a time, the MP added.

AMPE –

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