NEW DELHI, Aug 24 (NNN-PTI) – The death toll in the railway bridge collapse incident, in India’s north-eastern state of Mizoram, rose to 26 yesterday, confirmed a police officer, over the phone.
The under-construction bridge collapsed, in the Sairang town of Manipur, around 21 km north-west of the state capital, Aizawl.
“As many as 19 dead bodies have been recovered, and the rescue work to retrieve the rest of the dead bodies will resume today,” added the police officer.
He said, all the dead were labourers, who were working at the site.
Mizoram Chief Minister, Zoramthanga expressed grief over the deaths and extended sympathy to the families of the victims.
The cause of the bridge collapse could not be immediately known.
Meanwhile, the country’s Railways Minister, Ashwini Vaishnaw, ordered a probe into the incident and announced compensation for the victims.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi also expressed his anguish over the incident, in a message from Johannesburg, during the BRICS Summit.– NNN-PTI
