Search operation resumes at Gujarat bridge tragedy site, two still missing
Several vehicles plunged into the river after a segment of the four-decade-old bridge, connecting Anand and Vadodara districts, collapsed near Gambhira village close to Padra town on Wednesday (July 9) morning.
Editorial | Bridge too far: On the bridge collapse in Vadodara
The operation resumed on the third day of the Gambhira bridge tragedy, with 18 bodies recovered by Thursday (July 10) night. Efforts are still underway to trace two more persons, who are missing, Vadodara Collector Anil Dhameliya said.
'The primary objective of our operation today is to recover a body trapped under a slab in the river, and the missing driver of a truck stuck in the water,' he told mediapersons.
A list of eight missing persons was compiled on Thursday, and the bodies of six of them were recovered, he said.
The operation is being carried out by the National Disaster Response Force (NDRF), State Disaster Response Force (SDRF) and other agencies, with locals joining the efforts.
Mr. Dhameliya said that the rescue teams continue to work amid challenges, including muddy terrain, release of soda ash in water and a tanker filled with a highly corrosive substance.
A tanker that fell into the river was carrying sulphuric acid, and care is being made to ensure that it does not leak, he said.
There is a presence of soda ash in the water, which is causing irritation and itching for the rescuers. Attempts are being made to neutralise it, the official said.
Mr. Dhameliya said the mud in the river and on its banks has also complicated the rescue operation.
Since some vehicles, including a loaded truck, are still stuck in the muddy waters of the river, the district administration had used a 'high-performance truck' of the Indian Army to pull them out, a government release said earlier.
To overcome the problem of mud, a temporary platform has been prepared on the riverbank for the rescue teams by spreading three truckloads of concrete mix, said the release.
On Thursday, Gujarat Chief Minister Bhupendra Patel suspended four engineers of the state's roads and buildings department in connection with the bridge collapse.
At least six major incidents of bridge collapse have taken place in Gujarat since 2021.
In December 2021, a slab collapsed during the construction of the Mumatpura flyover on the outskirts of Ahmedabad city. Luckily, no one was injured in the incident.
In October 2022, as many as 135 persons were killed when a British-era suspension bridge over the Machchhu river in Morbi town collapsed, when over 200 tourists were on it.
In June 2023, a newly built bridge on the Mindhola river in the Tapi district collapsed. No one was hurt in the accident.
In September 2023, four persons were injured after a portion of an old bridge on the Bhogavo river in Surendranagar district collapsed when a 40-ton dumper was navigating it near Wadhwan city.
In October 2023, two persons sitting in an autorickshaw died after six concrete girders or slabs, which were installed on the pillars of an under-construction bridge near the RTO Circle in Palanpur town of Banaskantha, collapsed.
In August 2024, a small bridge on the Bhogavo river connecting Habiyasar village with Chotila town in Surendranagar district collapsed after a sudden rise in water following discharge from an overflowing dam. No casualties were reported in the incident.
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News18
13 hours ago
- News18
Will An AI Pilot Be Made The Fall Guy Again?
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That was accompanied by the mantra—shamefully echoed by many Indian media too—that the Boeing 787-9 is a really safe aircraft. That Boeing's formidable international PR machine could be behind this huge and touching faith in an aircraft is very probable. But what stood squarely in the way of that story taking wing is the testimony of the British-Indian national, Vishwaskumar, recorded by countless media channels. Now that the black boxes have been found their data may well corroborate that the pilots did their best. But will the big guns allow the 'safest" aircraft line to be contradicted? It is also providential that a local boy also filmed the plane going down, from an angle that was far closer than the two clips from the cameras at the airport. In his video, the Ram Air Turbine (RAT) can be seen deployed in the undercarriage, which means that the engines and/or power had shut down and the pilots had heroically tried to get emergency power to regain thrust to prevent a crash. 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He said Kukar was 'unfit to fly" as he was taking diabetes medication and had been dieting, adding that he had consumed alcohol the night before. He also said the co-pilot was 'negligent" as he had not watched the instruments and warned Kukar! Even today's rules (there were none in 1978) stipulate pilots cannot drink alcohol eight hours before a flight; if Kukar had consumed any, it was 24 hours before. Nor was it proved that he had alcohol in his system while flying. There was evidence about two previous incidents involving Boeing planes and malfunctioning ADIs, but they had not caused any accident. That belied Boeing's contention that there had never been multiple such failures on its planes and none on Emperor Ashoka either. One of the incidents was then shown to have 'contradictory" evidence and the judge was not convinced that the other one made a difference to the main issues of the AI-855 crash case. 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Views expressed in the above piece are personal and solely those of the author. They do not necessarily reflect News18's views. view comments Location : New Delhi, India, India First Published: June 20, 2025, 15:11 IST News opinion Opinion | Will An AI Pilot Be Made The Fall Guy Again? Disclaimer: Comments reflect users' views, not News18's. Please keep discussions respectful and constructive. Abusive, defamatory, or illegal comments will be removed. News18 may disable any comment at its discretion. By posting, you agree to our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy.
India Today
14 hours ago
- India Today
‘Traitor' tag for Mir Jafar, Tipu Sultan missing: Controversy erupts over NCERT changes
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The role of nawabs and their resistance has also been reduced as teachings in the new OF RULERS OF MYSORE - TIPU SULTAN AND HAIDER ALIAfter the changes in the history of Mughal rule in India, there is the complete omission of Tipu Sultan, son of Haider Ali, rulers of Mysore and the four Anglo–Mysore Wars—sections that were prominently featured in the previous earlier NCERT social science textbook 'Our Pasts- III , a section explained how the expansion of the East India Company's rule from 1757 to 1857 faced tough resistance from the rulers of Mysore — under Haider Ali and Tipu Sultan, 'the Tiger of Mysore'. Tipu Sultan was portrayed as a significant figure of resistance against British colonial expansion in South India. His administrative reforms, and strategic alliances with the French were all integral parts of the narrative on colonial these elements are now conspicuously absent in the new edition, raising concerns about regional representation. 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They saw Haidar and Tipu as ambitious, arrogant and dangerous - rulers who had to be controlled and crushed. Four wars were fought with Mysore (1767-69, 1780-84, 1790-92 and 1799).Only in the last - the Battle of Seringapatam - did the Company ultimately win a victory. Tipu Sultan was killed defending his capital Seringapatam, Mysore was placed under the former ruling dynasty of the Wodeyars and a subsidiary alliance was imposed on the excerpt on Tipu Sultan reads:Kings are often surrounded by legend and their powers glorified through is a legend about Tipu Sultan who became the ruler of Mysore in 1782. It is said that once he went hunting in the forest with a French friend. There he came face to face with a tiger. His gun did not work and his dagger fell to the ground. He battled with the tiger unarmed until he managed to reach down and pick up the he was able to kill the tiger in the battle. After this he came to be known as the "Tiger of Mysore" had the image of the tiger on his educationists and students await Part 2, the debate over representation, regional history, and historical accuracy continues to intensify. NCERT officials have clarified that Part 2 of the textbook, which is yet to be released, may include some of the omitted material. However, no official confirmation or release date has been provided.- EndsMust Watch
Time of India
18 hours ago
- Time of India
She was Queen Victoria's goddaughter. At 16, forgot her language. Meet the Indian princess adopted by British royalty but never accepted
At the age of 11, she went to England and became the goddaughter of Queen Victoria. However, Princess Gouramma 's story was far from being a fairy tale. Today, it remains a cautionary tale about the limits of cultural assimilation and how immigration can often demand a huge price for racial minorities. A Royal Childhood Shattered By Colonial Conquest Princess Gouramma was born into Indian royalty, the cherished daughter of Chikka Virarajendra, the last sovereign ruler of the Kodagu kingdom, more commonly known as Coorg. However, her privileged beginnings were soon interrupted by a pivotal historical conflict. On April 24, 1834 CE, the Coorg War ended in defeat for her father, resulting in his dethronement by the British East India Company. Acting under the directives of Army officer James Stuart Fraser, the British forces formally annexed Coorg into their growing dominion, incorporating the territory into British India. The defeated monarch was relocated as a political detainee to Benaras, where he spent approximately 14 years in enforced exile. Explore courses from Top Institutes in Select a Course Category Voyage to an Alien World In 1852, the deposed king embarked on a voyage that would drastically alter his daughter's fate. With eleven-year-old Gouramma by his side, he journeyed to London. The objective was twofold: to petition the British authorities for the restitution of his seized assets and to ensure that his daughter was afforded security and protection under the Christian faith. It was during this trip that both father and daughter became the first documented Indians to set foot in Britain. The king, guided by his close confidante Dr. William Jeafersson, prioritized the discussion of Gouramma's upbringing and welfare in the British court before pursuing claims to his property. A Queen's Patronage, A Princess's Rebirth Upon arrival, Princess Gouramma caught the attention of Queen Victoria. The British monarch formally adopted her as a goddaughter, bestowing upon her the name Victoria Gouramma of Coorg. This symbolic christening marked her official entry into British aristocracy. Though it seemed like a dream opportunity, it instead laid the foundation for a complex and ultimately tragic life. Cultural Erosion and the Loss of Identity According to Chandrica Barua in her scholarly article 'Poor Little Princess': Queen Victoria's Court as a Site of Imperial Conquest,' Gouramma's life in Victorian Britain was not one of warmth and welcome, but of calculated display and cultural estrangement. Barua described how the young princess, forcibly detached from her homeland and roots in the 1850s, underwent a sweeping transformation. She was converted to Christianity, forced into English customs, trained in Western etiquette, and paraded as a symbol of imperial success—a colonial trophy. Despite being presented as a civilizational triumph of the Empire, she never truly found a place in the restrictive and racially charged environment of Queen Victoria's court. Placed under the guardianship of Major and Mrs. Drummond, a British military couple, Princess Gouramma was systematically distanced from her heritage. Educated in the ways of the West, she embraced the external trappings of Victorian high society. Contemporary accounts described her as graceful, vivacious, and adept in social settings, but these traits masked the silent dislocation she experienced. Language Lost, Roots Severed Barua highlighted Queen Victoria's frequent references to her in her diaries, often using the phrase 'poor little princess.' This phrase, though affectionate on the surface, reflected the condescension and racialized pity directed toward Gouramma. The British elite viewed her father with suspicion and disdain, often describing him as a "hoary reprobate," a relic of Asiatic despotism, morally questionable and a bad influence. Barua cited recollections from Gouramma's imperial guardians that confirmed a disturbing cultural erasure. The princess, over time, lost all connection to her mother tongue, Kannada, and became incapable of speaking with her father. By her teenage years, any curiosity or concern for her homeland had been deliberately subdued, and she showed indifference to Coorg's political or cultural affairs. Romantic Misfortunes and a Crumbling Facade In Victoria Gouramma: The Lost Princess of Coorg, author C. P. Belliappa detailed the emotional void in Gouramma's personal life. She sought love in forbidden places—initially with a stablehand and later with a butler named George Christmas while living with Colonel Vernon Harcourt and his wife, Lady Catherine Harcourt. These relationships, although brief, underscore her longing for companionship. Queen Victoria had aspirations of orchestrating a royal union between Princess Gouramma and Maharaja Duleep Singh, another royal orphan absorbed into the British establishment. However, the relationship between the two godchildren never blossomed romantically. Instead, they developed a close, sibling-like friendship. Duleep Singh, recognizing the limits of British acceptance, eventually arranged her marriage to Colonel John Campbell—a military officer five decades her senior. Prejudice Cloaked In Politeness Despite her formal inclusion in British high society, Gouramma faced subtle but entrenched racial biases. Chandrica Barua cited Lady Login's journal entries, which described Gouramma's desperate attempts to be embraced by her husband's family. "'It was pathetic, the eagerness with which poor Gouramma identified herself with her husband's family,'" Login wrote in her notes. Lady Login's tone appeared mocking, reflecting the underlying sentiment that no amount of Westernization could make an Indian woman truly acceptable within elite British circles. Even though she had been baptised, educated, and Anglicised, Gouramma remained an outsider in the eyes of many—suitable only for symbolic unions with other colonized elites, not as an equal within the British gentry. Sickness, Solitude, And Betrayal Outwardly maintaining appearances, Gouramma's inner world was deteriorating. Chronic illness gnawed at her body — she frequently suffered from bouts of coughing and weakness. Her emotional pain deepened when she realized the true nature of her marriage. Colonel Campbell, it turned out, was less interested in her as a partner and more concerned with the wealth she had brought into the relationship. The dream of stability and love faded into a harsh reality of neglect and exploitation. Historian Dr. Priya Atwal revealed in a The Quin t report that Queen Victoria had prohibited Gouramma from seeing her father, fearing he would "corrupt" her with his 'heathen' and native influences. This further cemented her emotional isolation. In 1861, Gouramma gave birth to her daughter, Edith. However, rather than basking in motherhood, she was forced into the role of a solitary parent, for Campbell had no interest in fatherhood. Two years later, at the tender age of 22, Gouramma lost her life to tuberculosis. She died in obscurity, having endured a lifetime of alienation, exploitation, and cultural loss. Legacy And Rediscovery For decades, it was assumed that Princess Gouramma's bloodline ended with her. However, C. P. Belliappa later discovered that her legacy lived on. As reported in The Deccan Herald, Belliappa was contacted by Anne Phillips, a descendant of Campbell and his first wife, Margaret Mathew. Phillips shared rare, previously unseen photographs of Gouramma and her daughter Edith from her family's private collection. Further tracing revealed that one of Gouramma's great-great-grandsons, Robert Yardley, resides in Australia. Despite this continuation of her bloodline, the memory of the princess remains obscure in popular discourse. Her grave lies neglected in Brompton Cemetery, London—a solemn monument to a life that began in royalty and ended in loneliness. Gouramma's story, filled with displacement, unreciprocated love, and quiet resilience, stands as a powerful reminder of the often-overlooked personal costs of colonialism. Her journey, while paved with imperial promises, ultimately revealed the harsh limitations of cultural assimilation and the enduring scars of racial marginalization.
