Morbi

Gujarat Minister of State for Home, Harsh Sanghavi has said that a criminal case will be registered against the contractor and management, who renovated the suspension bridge on the Machhu river in Morbi town which collapsed killing 97 persons.

Sanghavi while addressing the mediapersons on Sunday said, "IPC sections for Culpable Homicide Act which cause death committed intentionally and abettor will be invoked in the criminal complaint, the process is underway to lodge the complaint."

He has officially confirmed 68 deaths and added that the rescue operation is likely to continue throughout Sunday evening. Deep water is creating trouble in the rescue operation and so downstream and a check dam is being demolished, with which water will recede and make rescue tasks easy.

Earlier, Morbi District Collector G.T. Pandya had informed the media that 170 persons were rescued. The state Minister has said that at the time of the accident nearly 300 persons were on the bridge.

The Special Investigation Team constituted by the state government is instructed that on a daily basis it will update the Chief Minister and share details of the investigations and findings.

Sanghavi also said that local police have already started an investigation into the tragedy and will take help from the forensic science laboratory for collecting scientific evidence.

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The investigation will be supervised by Rajkot Range Inspector General of Police.