Majerhat bridge collapse: Death toll rises to 3 in Kolkata tragedy; NDRF ends operation

One more body was recovered in the wee hours of Thursday from the debris of collapsed 50-year-old Majerhat bridge on the arterial Diamond Harbour Road in south Kolkata, taking the total death toll to three. The deceased identified as Goutam Mondal was a resident of Murshidabad district and a labourer by profession. Mondal was serving as a cook in the extension of the Metro rail project adjacent to the Majerhat bridge.

"Kolkata Majerhat Bridge Collapse: one more body has been recovered from the spot. The total death toll in the incident is 3," the news agency ANI reported.

Kolkata #MajerhatBridgeCollapse: 1 more body has been recovered from the spot. Total death toll in the incident is 3. #WestBengal (file pic) pic.twitter.com/J0UIhATBPi

— ANI (@ANI) September 6, 2018

Earlier on Wednesday, another labourer Pranab Dey, who was missing along with Mondal since the accident on Tuesday was declared dead.

The other deceased, whose body was recovered Tuesday was identified as Soumen Bag (20). Bag, a student hailing from Thakurpukur, was returning home from College Street in central Kolkata when the tragedy took place. Out of the 24 injured, 11 were discharged Wednesday while the rests are currently under treatment in different hospitals.

Following Mondal's identification, NDRF personnel have left the spot, while State Disaster Management Department personnel continued their rescue work at the accident site with cranes, earth movers and drilling machines.

Read | After Kolkata's Majerhat, part of Rajiv Gandhi bridge collapses in Thane

"The operation has ended now. We have recovered two bodies from the site of the bridge collapse. 5 teams of NDRF teams were working at the site since the evening of 4th September till today morning," Deputy Commandant of NDRF said.

The operation has ended now. We have recovered two bodies from the site of the bridge collapse. 5 teams of NDRF teams were working at the site since the evening of 4th September till today morning: SS Khatri, Deputy Commandant, NDRF on Majerhat bridge collapse pic.twitter.com/x6jU9ROmKd

— ANI (@ANI) September 6, 2018

Meanwhile, the West Bengal government has constituted a committee under Chief Secretary Malay De to investigate the reason behind the collapse. While the police lodged a Suo motu case against unknown persons in connection with their involvement in the collapse.

Read | After Varanasi tragedy, Congress steps up over under-construction bridges in Goa

However, this is not the first such incident in the history of Kolkata.

An under-construction flyover collapsed in the crowded Burrabazar area, the wholesale business hub of the city, on March 31, 2016, leaving 26 dead and several injured.

On March 4, 2013, a road bridge collapsed in Ultadanga area, though there were no casualties in the incident.