At least 61 persons, including men, women and children, were injured after a footbridge collapsed during the Baisakhi fair on Friday in the Udhampur district of Jammu.
Ten of the injured, whose condition was serious, have been shifted to the district hospital at Udhampur while other injured were rushed to a nearby hospital, the police said.
Reports said that the recently-constructed bridge over a water stream in Chenani’s Bain village collapsed due to overload as several people were standing on it. Residents of the village had reportedly contributed money for constructing the footbridge.
Locals assisted the security forces and police personnel in rescuing the people who had fallen in the stream. Videos of the collapsed footbridge and rescue operations have gone viral on social media.
Union Minister Dr. Jitendra Singh, in whose parliamentary constituency the area falls, was in constant touch with the district administration on the mishap.
He tweeted; “I’m in touch with DC Udhampur Ms Krittika Jyotsana after receiving the report of the accident. My office is in touch with the local administration. All possible assistance being provided”.