In wake of massive bridge collapse in Morbi on Sunday night, state-wide mourning in Gujarat will take place on November 2. The decision was taken at a high-level meeting held at Gandhinagar Raj Bhavan chaired by Prime Minister Narendra Modi.

The mourning will take place for the people who died in the Morbi tragedy.

Advertisement

During then, the national flag will be flown at half-mast on government buildings in the state on November 2 and no government public functions, receptions, or entertainment programs will be held

Meanwhile, the death toll now stands at 135, according to Morbi District Collector with one more injured succumbing at the District hospital on Tuesday.

In addition, a total of 14 persons are still in hospital and one is reportedly missing, stated Morbi District Collector.

The rescue operations are still on as Indian Coast Guard, Indian Navy and National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) along with local administration and other agencies are carrying out search and rescue operations at the spot of the Morbi bridge collapse.

Commandant Prasanna Kumar, NDRF rescue incharge said, “We have been continuing our search and rescue operations since yesterday. We have resumed today morning and continuing. We have not been informed about any official number of persons missing but it is suspected that three or four persons may be there in the river bed. Though we have not recovered anybody or a missing person today but we will continue the operation.”

On 31 October , nine persons, including officials of Oreva, the company that renovated the bridge, ticket sellers and security men, were arrested for the Morbi bridge collapse in Gujarat.

According to Ashok Yadav, IG, Rajkot range, they have arrested nine people after filing FIR under various sections of IPC. “The arrested includes the managers of Oreva company and ticket clerks,” he said.

Yadav further added, “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.

Gujarat Home Minister Harsh Sanghavi said that a criminal case has been registered in connection with the incident.

Besides, an First Information Report (FIR) has been filed by the Gujarat Police in the bridge collapse incident in Gujarat’s Morbi district against private agencies for the attempt to commit culpable homicide and culpable homicide not amounting to murder.

Apart from this, the Gujarat government has constituted a five-member committee to probe the bridge collapse incident.

The police also informed that the agency did not take due care and quality check of the bridge and kept it open for the people on October 26.

Reportedly, the bridge was shut for around 8 months for repairs and the revamp work was being completed by a private agency.

(With inputs from ANI)