Suspension bridge collapses in India's eastern Bihar state


Robert Tollast
  • English
  • Arabic

The moment an under-construction bridge collapsed was caught on camera in Bihar, India, on Sunday.

Witnesses can be heard gasping as the Aguwani-Sultanganj Bridge fell into the Ganges River.

It is reportedly the second time the bridge has collapsed.

The incident has sparked debate about corruption and mismanagement in India.

Amit Malviya, a senior official in the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party, called for the resignations of officials in Bihar, including Chief Minister Nitish Kumar.

“In 2015, Nitish Kumar inaugurated this bridge, which was to be completed by 2020," Mr Malviya said on Twitter.

"This bridge has fallen for the second time. Will Nitish Kumar and [deputy chief minister] Tejashwi Yadav resign immediately, taking cognisance of this incident? By doing this, both the uncle and nephew can set an example in front of the country."

BJP politician Shehzad Jai Hind posted a video of the bridge collapse on Twitter, blaming corruption for the incident. He did not provide evidence to support the claim. Local officials said the bridge was due to be completed in November this year.

Mr Kumar said the collapse would be investigated. A labourer was killed when the bridge fell down in November last year.

Sunday's bridge collapse is the second incident of its kind in Bihar since December, when a 200 metre bridge, also under construction, collapsed. No casualties were reported in the incident.

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Updated: June 05, 2023, 7:36 AM