Morbi bridge collapse: 12 members of Rajkot BJP MP's family killed in mishap

Rajkot BJP MP Mohanbhai Kalyanji Kundariya has informed that he lost 12 members of his family, including five children, in the Morbi bridge collapse tragedy that occurred on Sunday evening.

NEW DELHI: While rescue and search operation continues after a century-old suspension bridge collapsed in Gujarat’s Morbi town on Sunday killing several people, it has now emerged that 12 members of Rajkot BJP MP’s family are among those who died in the tragic incident. As per reports, as many as twelve family members of Rajkot BJP MP Mohanbhai Kalyanji Kundariya lost their lives in the Morbi bridge collapse in Gujarat on Sunday evening.

Kundariya was quoted as saying by a leading news website, "I have lost 12 members of my family, including five children, in the mishap. I lost family members who were from my sister's family."

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The death toll due to the collapse of a suspension bridge in Gujarat`s Morbi has increased to 141 as of Monday morning, a top police official was quoted as saying by IANS.

The toll was confirmed to the media by Rajkot Range Inspector General of Police Ashok Yadav. However, the toll according to the Minister of State for Home Harsh Sanghavi is 132, while two persons remain unaccounted for. He also said that when the two missing persons are located, the search and rescue operations will be over. As of Monday morning, the Morbi government hospital has released a list of 99 deceased but has not mentioned the age of the victims.

The tragedy took place on Sunday evening when about 400 people were on the suspension bridge on the Machhu river. A criminal complaint against the cable bridge contractor and manager has been lodged while the police have started a probe into the incident.

Gujarat CM Bhupendra Patel has set up a five-member Special Investigation Team (SIT) headed by an IAS officer to inquire into the suspension bridge collapse in Morbi town, which left over 100 dead. The SIT will be headed by Commissioner of Municipalities Rajkumar Beniwal, and the other members are the Secretary, Roads and Building Department, Sandeep Vasava, Inspector General of Police Subhash Trivedi, and two engineers specialised in structural and quality control. 

The state government has deployed four NDRF teams, as well as defence personnel in search and rescue operations, and even summoned swimmers and divers from surrounding districts. According to locals, the bridge contractor was charging Rs 12 and 17 from visitors. 

The suspension bridge on the Machchhu river in Gujarat's Morbi that collapsed on Sunday evening killing several people was reopened for the public just four days back after seven months of repair work by a private firm, but had not received the municipality's "fitness certificate", an official said told PTI. The more than a century-old bridge in Morbi city caved in around 6.30 pm when it was crammed with people.