JAMMU: Rescue workers pulled out another body from the debris of a collapsed bridge in the Thuther area of Bantalab in Jammu, raising the death toll to three. The government has initiated a probe and suspended two engineers.
Details of the Accident
The accident occurred when workers were engaged in repair work on the bridge, which had developed cracks following the 2025 flash floods. A section of the structure suddenly gave way on Friday, burying workers under the rubble. While one worker, Tarsem Lal, was rescued and hospitalized with injuries, three bodies were recovered during a 12-hour operation. The deceased were identified as Panchu Sethi (50) from Odisha's Ganjam district, and Harish Kumar (28) and Raj Kumar (30), both from Chhattisgarh.
Rescue Operation
An official from the Fire and Emergency Department, Mohammad Jaffar, was also injured after being hit by a boulder during the rescue operation and has been admitted to the hospital. Teams comprising police, Army, State Disaster Response Force (SDRF), National Disaster Response Force (NDRF), and civil administration rushed to the site and launched a coordinated rescue operation. Heavy machinery, including JCBs, was used to expedite the search and rescue efforts.
Government Action
Deputy Chief Minister Surinder Kumar Choudhary visited the spot at midnight and ordered the suspension of Assistant Executive Engineer Sahil Verma and Junior Engineer Sajad Mir, pending an inquiry under Rule 331 of the Jammu and Kashmir Civil Services (Classification, Control and Appeal) Rules-1956. The government has also constituted a three-member inquiry committee tasked with probing all aspects of the incident, including any dereliction of duty by departmental officers, and fixing responsibility, especially of the executing agency. The committee will recommend action against those responsible and suggest measures to prevent such incidents in the future. It has been directed to submit its report within 15 days.
