Morbi bridge tragedy: A five member panel has been set up to probe the morbi bridge tragedy which claimed more than 144 lives leaving several injured. A special Investigative Team (SIT) headed by an IAS officers, was formed by the Gujarat Chief Minister Bhupendra Patel on Sunday to inquire into the suspension bridge collapse in the Morbi town.
The SIT will be headed by Commissioner of Municipalities Rajkumar Beniwal, and the other members are Secretary, Roads and Building Department, Sandeep Vasava, Inspector General of Police Subhash Trivedi, and two engineers specialised in structural and quality control.
Defence personnel including four NDRF teams have been called by the state government for search and rescue operations. Even swimmers and divers from surrounding districts. have been engaged in the rescue operations.
The bridge contractor is under the scanner who, according to the locals have been charging Rs 12 and 17 from visitors.
Local resident Ramesh Jilariya told the local media, that he, resided on the river bank, and “the moment I came to know that the bridge has collapsed, I, along with my friends, rushed to the river and rescued people hanging on the rope and fished out 15 dead bodies from the river”.
A boy aged 4 or 5 boy who was on the bridge along with his family when it collapse was rescued, while his family including his parents, brother, cousins and uncle were missing.