Jammu Bridge Collapse Kills 3, Injures 2; Probe Ordered, Engineers Suspended

At least three people were killed and two others injured after a portion of a bridge collapsed in the Bantalab area of Jammu, officials said on Saturday.

The incident occurred in Thuther locality when labourers were carrying out repair and reinforcement work on the structure, which had been damaged in last year’s flash floods. According to officials, workers were engaged in foundation-laying and retaining wall construction when a section of the bridge suddenly gave way, trapping four labourers under the debris.

One worker, identified as Tarsem Lal, was rescued alive shortly after the collapse, while the bodies of the remaining victims were recovered following an extensive overnight rescue operation that lasted nearly 12 hours.

Rescue efforts involved teams from the police, Army, National Disaster Response Force (NDRF), State Disaster Response Force (SDRF), and fire services, who worked under floodlights to clear debris and locate the trapped workers.

Among the injured is Divisional Fire Officer Mohammad Jaffar, who sustained injuries after being hit by a boulder during the rescue operation. All injured persons have been admitted to hospital for treatment.

Deputy Chief Minister Surinder Kumar Choudhary visited the site and ordered an immediate probe into the incident. Two engineers — Assistant Executive Engineer Sahil Verma and Junior Engineer Sajad Mir — have been suspended, while the Executive Engineer has been attached pending inquiry.

The government has also constituted a three-member committee, led by Purshotam Kumar, Secretary Technical (Engineer-in-Chief) of the Public Works Department, to investigate the collapse. The panel has been asked to submit its report within five days.

Authorities have been directed to review safety protocols, including barricading, signage, and traffic management, to prevent similar incidents i