Several women and children were their on the bridge!
Ahmedabad: On Sunday evening, a British-era bridge in Gujarat's Morbi collapsed. At least 141 people have died so far. Some 177 people have been saved and teams are searching for several others who are still missing.
Around 500 people, including women and children, were on the suspension bridge when the cables supporting it snapped, sending people crashing into the river below suddenly.
Many were performing Chhath puja rituals on the 150-year-old bridge located 300 km from Vadodara.
People fell on top of each other after the bridge snapped. Videos showed many desperately clinging to the remains of the bridge while some were seen swimming to safety.
The bridge over Machchhu river had been shut for seven months for repairs. It was reopened to the public on October 26, for the Gujarati New Year.
"Renovation happened last week. We are also shocked by this incident. We are looking into the matter... The government takes responsibility for this tragedy," Brijesh Merja, Gujarat's minister for Labour and Employment, told NDTV in an exclusive interview.
PM Narendra Modi, who is in Gujarat, said rescue and relief operations have been going on since yesterday and the centre is extending all help to the state. He said while he was in pain, he also had to follow the path of duty.
On Monday morning, Gujarat Home Minister Harsh Sanghavi said that a criminal case has been registered and a five-member high-powered committee is probing the bridge collapse.
"A case has been registered under charges of culpable homicide not amounting to murder and intentional act causing death against whoever is found responsible in the case," he said.
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