Bihar bridge collapse: Guard goes ‘missing’ after incident, officials begin search

Hours after the collapse of an under-construction bridge in Bihar, officials are now searching for a missing guard. The incident took place in the Bhagalpur district on Sunday night - the second time that the Aguwani-Sultanganj bridge over river Ganga has collapsed. The missing individual had been working as a guard at the site. 

“After the bridge collapse, a person working as a guard with SP Singla Company is said to be missing. His body has not been recovered yet. Search by SDRF and NDRF teams is underway to trace him,” Circle Officer Chandan Kumar told news agency ANI.

Meanwhile Chief Minister Nitish Kumar has ordered a probe into the collapse. The CM said on Monday that he had instructed officials to take strict action against those responsible for the “poor construction work”.

"The bridge that collapsed yesterday had collapsed last year also. I have instructed the authorities concerned to look into the matter seriously. It is not being constructed correctly that's why it is collapsing again and again. The department will look into it, I have instructed officials to visit the site and action will be taken," he said.

“There is a tradition of seeking commission (bribe) in this government. It is a consequence of Bihar CM Nitish Kumar mentality of political instability that there's administrative anarchy and corruption. System is collapsing but they are talking about Opposition unity,” asserted Leader of Opposition in Bihar Vijay Kumar Sinha.

(With inputs from agencies)