Morbi bridge collapse: 9 including firm staff that repaired bridge arrested in Gujarat

Gujarat police arrested 9 people including managers of Oreva company and ticket clerks in Morbi bridge collapse case.

Image credit: PTI

New Delhi: Morbi Police on Monday (October 31) detained 9 people in Morbi bridge collapse matter. The police has filed FIR and arrested 9 people including the managers of Oreva company and ticket clerks. Talking to ANI Ashok Yadav, IG, Rajkot range said, "We arrested 9 people after filing FIR under avrious sections of IPC. The arrested includes the managers of Oreva company and ticket clerks."

"Among the nine people arrested there are two managers of Oreva company, two ticket clerks along with two contractors and three security guards for negligence," Yadav told ANI.

More than 130 died after nearly a century-old suspension bridge collapsed into the Machchhu river in Gujarat`s Morbi city.

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 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 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.

Teams including Army, Navy, Air Force, NDRF and Fire Brigade conducted a search operation throughout the night to find the victims who fell into the Macchu river after the bridge collapsed, as per officials.

Indian Army teams deployed in Morbi, Gujarat carried out search and rescue operations for survivors of the mishap. All three defence services have deployed their teams for search operations.

(With ANI inputs)