JAMMU: Rescue workers recovered another body from the rubble of a collapsed bridge in the Thuther area of Bantalab, bringing the death toll to three. The government has initiated an investigation and suspended two engineers in response to the incident.
The collapse occurred while workers were engaged in repair operations on the bridge, which had developed cracks following the flash floods in 2025. A section of the structure collapsed suddenly on Friday, burying the workers beneath the debris. One worker, Tarsem Lal, was rescued and hospitalized with injuries. The deceased were identified as Panchu Sethi (50) from Ganjam district in Odisha and Harish Kumar (28) and Raj Kumar (30), both from Chhattisgarh.
An official from the Fire and Emergency Department, Mohammad Jaffar, was also injured during the rescue effort when he was struck by a boulder and has since been admitted to the hospital.
Following the cave-in, teams from the police, Army, State Disaster Response Force (SDRF), National Disaster Response Force (NDRF), and civil administration quickly mobilized to the site to conduct a coordinated rescue operation. Heavy machinery, including JCBs, was employed to expedite the search and recovery efforts.
Deputy Chief Minister Surinder Kumar Choudhary visited the site at midnight and ordered the suspension of assistant executive engineer Sahil Verma and junior engineer Sajad Mir. This action was taken pending an inquiry under Rule 331 of the Jammu and Kashmir Civil Services (Classification, Control, and Appeal) Rules of 1956.
In addition, the government has formed a three-member inquiry committee tasked with examining all aspects of the incident, addressing any potential negligence by departmental officials, and determining liability, particularly concerning the executing agency. The committee is expected to recommend actions against those found responsible and suggest measures to prevent future occurrences. It has been instructed to submit its report within 15 days.
