Girl dies, 61 injured as footbridge collapses during Baisakhi celebrations in J&K’s Udhampur

Udhampur (J&K), Apr 14 (PTI) A nine-year-old girl died and 61 people, including several children, were injured on Friday when a footbridge collapsed due to overloading as people swarmed it during Baisakhi celebrations in Jammu and Kashmir’s Udhampur district, officials said.

The government has ordered a probe led by Deputy Commissioner Udhampur into the collapse.

The incident took place at Beni Sangam in Bain village of Chenani block during Baisakhi celebrations, they said.

Udhampur Deputy Commissioner Krittika Jyotsna, who visited the hospital to meet the injured, told reporters that the accident took place late in the afternoon when the people were celebrating Baisakhi.

“Sixty-two people were injured. Out of them, 35 were admitted to district hospital. The critically injured were taken to GMC Hospital in Jammu”, she said.

The other injured have been admitted to Chenani hospital, the officials said.

“One girl has died in the hospital,” Divisional Commissioner Ramesh Kumar told PTI.

According to sources, the deceased has been identified as Anu Kumari.

People in large numbers were on the bridge when it collapsed, the officials said.

The bridge collapsed due to overloading as large number of people were on it at the time of the accident, Kumar said.

He said the probe into the collapse will be led by the Udhampur Deputy Commissioner.

Police and relief teams rushed to the spot and began rescue operations, the officials said.

Videos and pictures purporting to show the extent of damage in the far-flung Chenani block were widely circulated on social media.