Indian police have arrested nine people following a bridge collapse. Among them are two officials from the company that had previously renovated the bridge. The death toll has increased.

Nine people suspected of being responsible have been arrested after a pedestrian bridge collapsed in India. This was announced by Gujarat State Police. Those arrested are charged with culpably causing death.

Investigation against contractors

These are people associated with the construction company that recently renovated the footbridge. “Among the nine arrested are two executives of the company Oreva, two ticket sellers, two building contractors and three security guards,” said the police. After the accident, she launched an investigation into the contractor.

The suspension bridge in the western Indian town of Morbi, popular with tourists, collapsed on Sunday when a crowd of 400 to 500 people gathered on or around it during a religious festival. After the suspension cable broke, the bridge would have collapsed within seconds. The historic 19th century building had been renovated for months and only reopened last week.

Reports of over 140 dead

The “Hindustan Times” newspaper reported that there were many more people on the bridge than people who bought tickets to access it. A security guard was unable to stop him. A local official told NDTV that local authorities have yet to inspect the bridge after the renovations and have not given the green light for it to reopen.

The death toll has risen to at least 141, according to the dpa news agency, citing police. Other agencies report confirmed deaths ranging from 133 to 137, including about 50 children. Most of the victims were women, children and the elderly, he added.

At least 177 people were rescued from the Machchhu River, over which the bridge spans.

Search for missing persons continues

Footage from surveillance cameras and videos shown on local TV and social media show people in the water clinging to sections of bridge, screams and rescue teams on boats coming towards them after the collapse . Many Indians cannot swim.

Footage was also circulating on the internet showing how, shortly before the collapse, many people jumped onto the 1.25 meter wide and 230 meter long pedestrian bridge and how it moved back and forth accordingly. An eyewitness told NDTV that the bridge swayed so much you couldn’t stand without hanging on. According to him, no one tried to control the crowd.

Disasters due to old and poorly maintained infrastructure are common in India. 26 people were killed when an elevated highway collapsed in Kolkata in 2016. In 2011, at least 32 people died in the northeast of the country when a holiday crash caused a bridge to collapse .