9 arrested in Morbi bridge collapse tragedy

MORBI: Nine persons including officials of Oreva, the company that renovated the bridge, ticket sellers and security men have been arrested for the Morbi bridge collapse in Gujarat.

"We arrested nine people after filing FIR under various sections of IPC. The arrested includes the managers of Oreva company and ticket clerks," said Ashok Yadav, IG, Rajkot range.

"As and when we get evidence, police will nab the accused further. We have also formed a Special Investigation team pertaining to the incident," he added.

More than 134 people died and about 100 people were injured due to the collapse of the suspension bridge over the Morbi Macchu river on Sunday.

The Gujarat Police has filed a First Information Report under IPC sections 304 and 308 (culpable homicide not amounting to murder) in the bridge collapse tragedy.

Gujarat government has constituted a five-member committee headed to probe the bridge collapse incident. "An unfortunate incident took place in Morbi, we pay our condolences. We filed an FIR under various sections of IPC against all the accused to take stringent action. Police & locals mobilised and helped in the rescue operation," the IG said.

"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.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi will visit Morbi in Gujarat on Tuesday, the state chief minister's office announced today. Prime Minister Modi, who is in Kevadia said that rescue operations were underway and there would be no laxity in rescue and relief efforts.

"The Gujarat Government has been carrying out relief and rescue operations since yesterday. Centre too is extending all help to the State Government," PM Modi said. 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 further informed that a criminal case has been registered in connection with the incident.

"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.

"Indian Army is fully committed to assisting civil admin & all other agencies for HADR (Humanitarian Assistance & Disaster Relief) ops to prevent loss of lives, treatment of survivors & further retrieval of remaining bodies as part of search ops," as per sources.

The columns immediately got into the NDRF, SDRF & state fire services boats & assisted in search operations. Four medical columns assisted in the treatment of survivors in three hospitals viz. the govt civil hospital, Krishna hospital and Ayush hospital, as per sources.