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Jammu bridge collapse: toll rises to three; two engineers suspended; probe ordered
Rescue teams recovered a third body from a collapsed bridge in Jammu's Thuther area, bringing the toll to three. Two engineers were suspended as a government probe was initiated, with a committee directed to report within 15 days.
Why It Matters
The incident underscores concerns about safety and accountability in repair work on infrastructure and the speed of government oversight and response.
Timeline
2 Events
Toll rises to three; three bodies retrieved and identified; probe and suspensions announced
May 2, 2026
Three bodies were retrieved from the debris during the rescue operation, bringing the toll to three. The deceased were Panchu Sethi, 50, from Odisha's Ganjam district, and Harish Kumar, 28, and Raj Kumar, 30, both from Chhattisgarh. The government suspended two engineers involved in the repair work and initiated a formal probe. A committee was directed to submit its report within 15 days and to recommend action against those responsible and measures to prevent similar incidents in the future.
Bridge collapses during repair work in Jammu; rescue operation begins
May 1, 2026
An accident occurred when workers were repairing a bridge in the Thuther area of Bantalab, Jammu, which had developed cracks after the 2025 flash floods. A section of the structure gave way and collapsed. Rescue teams including police, Army, SDRF, NDRF and the civil administration rushed to the site and launched a coordinated rescue operation. Heavy machinery, including JCBs, was deployed. Tarsem Lal, a worker, was rescued and hospitalised with injuries. An official of the Fire and Emergency Department, Mohammad Jaffar, was also injured after being hit by a boulder during the rescue operation and admitted to hospital. The rescue operation was reported to have lasted around 12 hours.