::News4u:: » Bridge collapse: Hunt continues for 50 missing labourers

News4u-News Desk- Rescuers on Friday continued to search for 50 labourers missing after an under-construction bridge on Chambal river collapsed at Nayagaon Kota district killing six persons even as two officials of a private company building the structure were arrested.

The Chief Project Officer of Hyundai, and R Chattopadhya, Deputy Manager of Gammon India, have been booked under sections 304 (culpable homicide not amounting to murder) and 308 (attempt to commit culpable homicide) of IPC and lodged in the Kunahri police station, Divisional Commissioner P L Agarwal said.

The accident occurred last evening when about 100 labourers were working there, Kota collector T Ravikant said quoting eye witnesses.

The injured were admitted to two private hospitals, where condition of three labourers was said to be critical, he said.

The army, which was called in last night, has been assisting civil administration in the operation to locate the labourers, who were feared trapped either inside the debris or swept in the current of the river, the collector said.

Divers, cranes and welders have been pressed into action, he said chilly weather was hampering the rescue operations.

Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot has arrived in Kota to take stock of the situation.

Expert divers from Gujarat have come to locate the missing labourers, Agarwal said, adding cranes have been deployed to remove iron and steel rods, and clear the debris where trapped labourers might be found.

The reason behind the collapse of the 35 metre bridge is being ascertained, he said.

The construction on the 1.4 km long bridge began in 2007 with an outlay of Rs.232 crores and is to be completed in 2011.