Military teams are searching today, Monday, for missing people after the collapse of a century-old suspension bridge in the state of Gujarat in western India, which caused hundreds to drown in the water and killed at least 133 people in one of the country's worst accidents in years. While families mourned their dead, attention turned to the cause of the bridge collapse, which was built by the British in the late 19th century and described as an "engineering marvel," and who might be responsible. The local government awarded a 15-year contract for the maintenance and management of the bridge to a Morbi-based company, Ajanta Manufacturing Pvt. Ltd., primarily known for making clocks, mosquito bats, and electric bicycles.

The bridge, which spans a wide section of the Machchhu River, was reopened on October 26. This is the first day of the new Gujarati New Year, coinciding with the Hindu festival season, where the newly reopened attraction drew hundreds of spectators. Also, Sandeep Zala, an official in the city of Morbi, told the Indian Express that the company reopened the bridge without first obtaining a "fitness certificate." This claim cannot be independently verified, but the state government said it had formed a special team to investigate the disaster. Authorities added that the structure collapsed under the weight of hundreds of people. Also, security footage of the disaster showed the bridge shaking violently and people trying to hold onto its cables and green metal fencing before the aluminum walkway gave way and fell into the river. Images from the disaster site also showed the bridge split in the middle with the metal walkway hanging down, and its cables cut in some places.

In the same context, Jigar Khunt, an official from the Gujarat state media department, said that at least 177 survivors were pulled from the river and teams from the army, navy, and air force are searching for others still missing. State Minister Harsh Sanghvi also told reporters that it was confirmed that 133 people had died and many others were hospitalized in critical condition, where emergency responders and rescue workers worked throughout the night searching for survivors, as most of the victims were teenagers, women, and the elderly.