Morbi bridge collapse: Gujarat relief commissioner calls off search and rescue operation

Five days following a 143-year-old bridge fell into the Machchu river, killing at least 135 people, the search and rescue operation was suspended on Thursday night, the official reported. According to State Commissioner of Relief Harshad Patel, no additional victims were reported as missing, hence the rescue effort was suspended.

Commissioner of Relief noted, "The ongoing search and rescue operation has been completed. Due to no missing persons left, the search operation has been completed after discussing with all investigating agencies". When the cable suspension bridge in Morbi fell on Sunday, it pushed people into the Machchhu river and caused at least 135 fatalities and over 100 injuries.

At the scene of the Morbi bridge collapse, search and rescue activities were carried out by the Indian Coast Guard, Indian Navy, and National Disaster Response Force (NDRF), in addition to the local government and other authorities. Prime Minister Narendra Modi reached Morbi in Gujarat earlier on Tuesday.

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On Monday, he presided over a high-level conference at Gandhinagar's Raj Bhavan to discuss the situation in Morbi. The Gujarat government established a five-person committee to investigate the bridge collapse occurrence and requested that support be provided to individuals affected by the tragedy in whatever way that is humanly possible.

Four of the nine people suspected in the incident have been taken into custody by police after being arrested. Five remain on the loose. Under IPC sections 304 and 308 (culpable homicide not amounting to murder), Gujarat Police had filed a First Information Report against the nine members of the Oreva gang who were reportedly in charge of the tragic bridge collapse.

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Four people are being held by the police, two of them are managers for the Oreva firm, which reopened the bridge to pedestrians after seven months of restoration work, and the other two are employees of a fabrication work contractor. 

Rahul Tripathi, SP, Morbi, had said on the inquiry that was being conducted: "In an effort to determine who is responsible for the many faults in the bridge renovation, we are interviewing all 4 of the suspects while they are in our custody. If someone comes forward with information about their involvement, we will book and arrest them. We are doing a comprehensive investigation." The national flag was flown at half-mast on all state-owned buildings in Gujarat on Wednesday as part of a day of state-wide mourning.

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(With inputs from ANI)