Guwahati: Gujarat’s Morbi Court on Wednesday ordered four of the nine suspects in connection with the century-old suspension bridge collapse on October 30 to be placed in police custody and the other five into judicial custody until November 5.
Four people are being held by the police, two of them are managers of the Oreva company which opened the bridge to pedestrians after seven months of maintenance work and the other two are employees of a fabrication work contractor.
Speaking on the ongoing investigation, Rahul Tripathi, SP Morbi, said, “We are questioning all the 4 accused in our custody and we are trying to establish the liability of the different kinds of lapses in the bridge renovation. We are doing a thorough investigation and if anyone’s role comes forward, he or she will be booked and arrested.”
He added further, “Yes, We have given a scientific report to the court but details of the same can’t be shared with you at this stage as this will hamper our investigation.”
In connection with the tragic bridge collapse, the Gujarat Police have submitted a First Information Report under IPC sections 304 and 308 (culpable homicide not amounting to murder).
A five-person committee was previously assembled by the Gujarat government to investigate the bridge collapse tragedy.
“An FIR has been registered against the maintenance and management agencies of the bridge, under Sections 304 (culpable homicide not amounting to murder), 308 (attempt to commit culpable homicide), and 114 (abettor present when offense is committed) of the India Penal Code,” said Morbi B Division Police Inspector, Prakashbhai Dekavadiya.
Briefing mediapersons here, Gujarat Home Minister Harsh Sanghavi said, “The death toll in the Morbi hanging bridge collapse incident has gone up to 132. The Chief Minister has constituted a high power committee yesterday itself while leaving Ahmedabad. All officers, posted at different locations, were asked to report at Morbi by 2 am. The investigation is going on.”
The Gujarat Home Minister also disclosed that a criminal investigation into the incident has begun.
“An investigation has begun today under the leadership of Range IGP,” Sanghavi said. Everyone worked all through the night. The Navy, NDRF (National Disaster Relief Force), Air Force and Army arrived at the spot quickly. More than 200 persons have worked the entire night for search and rescue operations,” Sanghavi said.
Over 100 people are being treated for their injuries after a cable suspension bridge in Morbi town fell on Sunday, sending people into the Machchhu River. At least 135 people including women and children were killed.
In the Machchhu River, a search and rescue operation is in progress.
“According to the information received from the district administration, one or two people are still missing. We are carrying out search operation along with other agencies. 5 teams of NDRF are working here,” Prasanna Kumar, NDRF commandant said today.