Nine killed, six injured in Vadodara bridge collapse, says Collector Anil Dhameliya
Vadodara Collector Anil Dhameliya stated that nine bodies had been recovered so far during the rescue operation, while six injured individuals have been provided medical treatment.
Speaking to reporters, Collector Dhameliya said, "We have recovered nine bodies so far. Five people were injured, and the sixth injured was found just now, and he is being provided medical treatment."
The Vadodara Collector mentioned that rescue teams from the Vadodara Municipal Corporation (VMC), the Emergency Response Centre, the National Disaster Response Force (NDRF), and local police were deployed at the site immediately after the incident.
"Rescue operation started this morning. Local swimmers, boats and the team of Municipal Corporation reached the spot immediately. VMC, Emergency Response Centre, NDRF teams, other administration, and a police team are here. Rescue operation is ongoing," Dhameliya added.
"Vehicles that fell include two trucks, one pickup van, one eco vehicle and one auto rickshaw. Two vehicles were lingering on the bridge," he added.
Anand Collector Praveen Chaudhary said measures were underway to prevent the tanker stuck on the bridge from falling.
Chaudhary told ANI, "According to preliminary information, a truck, an Eco, and some bikes fell below. Rescue operations are ongoing. The Vadodara administration and NDRF are present at the site. Arrangements are being made to prevent a tanker stuck on the bridge from falling. The Vadodara team, police administration, and NDRF are all engaged in the rescue operations."
Meanwhile, Gujarat Home Minister Harsh Sanghavi stated that CM had sent a high committee to the spot to sought the report about the incident at the earliest.
Meanwhile, Gujarat Home Minister Harsh Sanghavi said that Chief Minister Bhupendra Patel has taken the incident seriously and directed team of Roads and Buildings Department along with other teams to go to spot and take concrete measures.
"9 bodies have been recovered and 6 people have been rescued. CM sent a high committee to the spot in the morning itself and he has sought a report at the earliest. Taking this very seriously, the CM has directed a team of the Roads and Buildings Department and other teams to go there and take concrete measures," he said.
Gujarat Minister Rushikesh Patel said the collapsed bridge, which connects Saurashtra and Central Gujarat, was built in 1985 and underwent regular maintenance.
"Today, the bridge connecting Saurashtra and Central Gujarat, Anand and Padra, has collapsed. It has been learnt that about five vehicles, big and small, have fallen. Three people have died. Five people have been rescued... This bridge was built in 1985. Regular maintenance and repair of this bridge were done, but this unfortunate incident has happened," Rushikesh Patel told reporters.
Furthermore, Congress leader Amit Chavda slammed the state government and said that the incident occurred due to their negligence.
"The main bridge that connects Anand and Vadodara districts in Gujarat, Gambhira bridge collapsed this morning...The traffic from the entire Saurashtra passes through here. We had demanded from the Government again and again, and people had written to them a that the bridge is not in good condition and it should be repaired...But the Government paid no heed. That is why the incident occurred," Chavda told ANI.
He demanded an inquiry into the accident and alleged that such incidents have occurred repeatedly in Gujarat.
"Due to the negligence of the Government, this bridge collapsed today, and people died. We demand an inquiry from the Government. We also spoke with the Administration of both Anand and Vadodara to begin the rescue at once. We have also demanded an alternate arrangement in the wake of the bridge collapse. But we demand from the Government that such incidents happen in Gujarat again and again, so it should get all the bridges in the state audited, get fitness certificates and release the same in the public domain," he added.
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Times of Oman
19-07-2025
- Times of Oman
Air India crash: US body says media reports 'premature'
The United States National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) said on Friday that media reports on the reasons behind the Air India Boeing Dreamliner crash which killed 270 were speculative and premature. India's Aircraft Accident Investigation Bureau (AAIB), which is investigating the accident, had released a preliminary report last week which raised questions about the engine fuel cutoff switches. Since the report came out, there have been several media reports speculating over the cause of the crash in Indian and Western media, pointing to a possible pilot error. The report itself has been condemned for not providing enough information. What did the US agency say about the Air India crash report? The NTSB is an investigative agency that investigates civil transportation accidents. "Recent media reports on the Air India 171 crash are premature and speculative. India's Aircraft Accident Investigation Bureau just released its preliminary report. Investigations of this magnitude take time," NTSB Chair Jennifer Homendy said in a statement shared on X. According to the AAIB report, in the blackbox voice recording , "one of the pilots is heard asking the other why did he cutoff," and the other pilot "responded that he did not do so." First officer Clive Kunder was believed to be flying the plane while Captain Sumeet Sabharwal was monitoring, hence it has been assumed that his hands were free to toggle with the fuel switch. The switches were restored 10 seconds later but the plane crashed, having already lost thrust. The report did not clarify what caused the engine fuel to cut off. How has media reported on the cause of the crash? Some media reports and aviation experts have speculated that Sabharwal could have been suicidal and intentionally switched off the fuel. The AAIB had condemned western media reports for being "irresponsible" and drawing conclusions "through selective and unverified reporting," Times of India reported. The Federation of Indian Pilots (FIP) sent legal notices to the Wall Street Journal and Reuters, saying the findings were "neither substantiated by the official investigation nor endorsed by any competent authority," newspaper The New Indian Express said. India's Civil Aviation Minister Kinjarapu Ram Mohan Naidu urged the press and people not to "jump to conclusions" and wait for the final report.
Times of Oman
19-07-2025
- Times of Oman
ED summons Google, Meta on July 21 in Betting App case
New Delhi: The Enforcement Directorate (ED) has issued notices to tech giants Google and Meta in connection with its ongoing investigation into alleged money laundering linked to betting applications, official sources said. As part of the probe, the ED has summoned representatives from both companies to appear before its Delhi headquarters on July 21. According to sources, "Google and Meta platforms are promoting betting apps through advertisements and facilitating their reach to users." The agency is examining the role of digital platforms in enabling the promotion of these illegal apps, which are under scrutiny for potential violations of the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA). The move comes days after the ED searched four locations in Mumbai in a major dabba trading and online betting case, seizing unaccounted cash of Rs 3.3 crore, along with luxury watches, jewellery, foreign currency, and luxury vehicles. Cash-counting machines were also discovered during the search operations. The Enforcement Directorate is examining financial and operational activities of 'dabba trading apps' involved in illegal trading and betting platforms, namely VMoney, VM Trading, Standard Trades Ltd, IBull Capital Ltd, LotusBook, 11Starss, and GameBetLeague. As per officials, "online betting platforms operated through white-label apps and ADMIN rights exchanged on a profit-sharing basis." "Hawala operators and fund handlers identified, with digital and financial records, are being examined," the officials, privy to the development, told ANI. As per ED, a Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA) investigation initiated in the case on the basis of First Information Report registered at Lasudiya Police Station in Madhya Pradesh's Indore on January 9 this year, invoking Sections 319(2) and 318(4) of Bhartiya Nyaya Sanhita (formerly IPC Sections 419 and 420). ED investigations revealed that "Vishal Agnihotri, the beneficial owner of VMoney and 11Starss, acquired ADMIN rights of the LotusBook betting platform on a 5 per cent profit-sharing arrangement. He subsequently transferred these rights to Dhaval Devraj Jain, retaining 0.125 per cent profit while Jain held 4.875 per cent." As per the officials, "Dhaval Jain, along with his associate John States alias Pandey, developed a white-label betting platform and supplied it to Vishal Agnihotri for running
Times of Oman
19-07-2025
- Times of Oman
"Premature and speculative": NTSB slams media reports on AI-171 crash investigation
Washington DC : The US federal agency, National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB), responsible for the investigation of aviation accidents and significant transportation events in the country, on Friday (local time) issued a strong rebuke of recent media coverage made over the preliminary investigative report on the aftermath of the ill-fated Air India 171 crash that claimed 260 lives in Gujarat's Ahmedabad last month. Calling the media reports "premature and speculative", the NTSB Chairwoman Jennifer Homendy, in a statement, urged the public and media to await official findings by the Aircraft Accident Investigation Bureau (AAIB), which is leading the probe into the crash incident, before drawing a conclusion based on the preliminary investigative report. "Recent media reports on the Air India 171 crash are premature and speculative. India's Aircraft Accident Investigation Bureau just released its preliminary report. Investigations of this magnitude take time. We fully support the AAIB's public appeal, which was released Thursday, and will continue to support its ongoing investigation. All investigative questions should be addressed to the AAIB," Homendy stated. This came following AAIB's public appeal issued on Thursday noting a strong appeal to the public and media, raising concerns about "selective and unverified reporting" by certain international outlets in the aftermath of the crash. The AAIB, under the Ministry of Civil Aviation, reaffirmed that the investigation into the Air India crash is being conducted in a "rigorous and most professional manner in accordance with the AAIB Rules and international protocols." The Bureau cautioned that the high-profile nature of the tragedy has "drawn public attention and shock," but emphasised, "it needs to be appreciated that this is not the time to create public anxiety or angst towards the safety of the Indian Aviation Industry, particularly on the basis of unfounded facts." The appeal came amid heightened global scrutiny following reports in international media. A Wall Street Journal report, cited by Reuters, suggests that cockpit voice recordings indicate the captain may have turned off the fuel control switches shortly after takeoff, which prompted confusion and panic in the cockpit. AAIB cautioned against drawing premature conclusions or circulating unverified information, particularly by sections of the international media, which they said risked undermining the integrity of the investigation. "It is essential to respect the sensitivity of the loss faced by family members of deceased passengers, crew of the aircraft and other deceased persons on the ground. It has come to our attention that certain sections of the international media are repeatedly attempting to draw conclusions through selective and unverified reporting. Such actions are irresponsible, especially while the investigation remains ongoing. We urge both the public and the media to refrain from spreading premature narratives that risk undermining the integrity of the investigative process," the letter read. The Bureau reiterated that the objective of its investigation and preliminary report is to state "WHAT happened". It clarified that at this stage, "it is too early to reach any definite conclusions," and the final report will be published only after the investigation is complete, including the identification of "root causes and recommendations". The purpose of the AAIB's investigation and preliminary report is to provide information about 'WHAT' happened. The preliminary report must be viewed in this light. At this stage, it is too early to reach any definite conclusions. The AAIB investigation is still ongoing. The Final Investigation Report will come out with root causes and recommendations, the letter read.
