Bridge Collapse in Jammu Leaves 3 Dead, 2 Injured; Engineers Suspended
Bridge Collapse in Jammu Leaves 3 Dead, 2 Injured; Engineers Suspended
Digital Desk: A tragic incident occurred in Jammu when a portion of an old bridge collapsed during repair work, resulting in the deaths of three workers and injuries to two others. The collapse took place at Thuther in the Bantalab area on Friday, where laborers were strengthening the structure, which had previously been damaged in last year's flash floods. Suddenly, a section of the bridge gave way, trapping four individuals under the debris.
Rescue operations were promptly initiated by a collaborative effort involving police, Army personnel, the National Disaster Response Force (NDRF), the State Disaster Response Force (SDRF), and fire services. One worker, Tarsem Lal, was successfully rescued shortly after the collapse. The search effort continued through the night for approximately 12 hours, during which rescuers recovered three bodies. The two injured individuals, including Mohammad Jaffar, a divisional fire officer hurt by a falling boulder during the operation, were taken to a hospital for medical care.
In response to the disaster, Deputy Chief Minister Surinder Kumar Choudhary visited the site to assess the conditions around midnight. He announced the suspension of two engineers—Assistant Executive Engineer Sahil Verma and Junior Engineer Sajad Mir—pending further investigation. Additionally, the government established a three-member committee tasked with investigating the incident, mandated to deliver a report within five days.
