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Curated By : Edited By: Last Updated:November 02, 2022, 16:31 IST POLICE ON MONDAY ARRESTED NINE PERSONS, INCLUDING FOUR FROM THE OREVA GROUP THAT WAS MANAGING THE SUSPENSION BRIDGE, AND

FILED A CASE AGAINST FIRMS TASKED WITH THE MAINTENANCE AND OPERATION OF THE BRITISH-ERA STRUCTURE Morbi bridge collapse tragedy, in which 135 people lost their lives, was an “act of

God" (Bhagwan ki ichcha), one of the arrested accused told the court as per the Additional Public Prosecutor of the case. Advocate HS Panchal further revealed that as per the Forensic

Science Laboratory (FSL) report the cable wires of the structure were not in the condition to be reopened for the public and were “rusting away". Deepak Parekh, a manager of the Oreva

company and accused in the case, made the comments in court. Police on Monday arrested nine persons, including four from the Oreva group that was managing the suspension bridge, and filed a

case against firms tasked with the maintenance and operation of the British-era structure. RECOMMENDED STORIES News agency ANI quoted Additional Public Prosecutor Panchal as saying, “One of

the two arrested managers of Oreva company told the court that it is an ‘Act of God’." As per the FIR registered in the case, it is a case of ‘criminal negligence’, and not an ‘act of

god’. “In the FSL report, the Investigating Officer said that the cable was rusting away and only flooring of the bridge was done and the cables were not changed, oiling-greasing also was

not done," Panchal was quoted as saying. Meanwhile, the Morbi Bar Association said its members won’t represent the accused in the case. Members held a protest march, a day after passing

a resolution to not fight cases for the accused in the bridge collapse tragedy. “Morbi Bar Association and Rajkot Bar Association have decided to not take their case and represent them.

Both the bar associations have passed this resolution," senior advocate A C Prajapati said. The suspension bridge on the Machchhu river in Gujarat’s Morbi city collapsed on Sunday

evening, killing 135 people. Earlier in the day, civic bodies in Ahmedabad and Surat held condolence meetings as Gujarat observed state-wide mourning to pay homage to the victims. Chief

Minister Bhupendra Patel was also present at the condolence meet. Flags were flown at half-mast at the state secretariat in Gandhinagar and other Gujarat government offices. All official and

entertainment programs were cancelled. The decision to observe the state-wide mourning was taken on Monday in a meeting chaired by Prime Minister Narendra Modi to review the situation after

the tragedy. On Tuesday, PM Modi called for a “detailed and extensive" inquiry into the Morbi bridge collapse incident and said its key learnings must be implemented at the earliest.

He had visited the collapse site and a local hospital where the injured have been admitted. Video footage emerged of the moments before Sunday evening’s deadly collapse, showing the bridge

snapping in a few seconds, taking down scores of visitors seen walking on the swaying structure which had reopened four days ago after extensive repair but sans a fitness certificate. _(with

inputs from PTI)_ Read all the Latest India News here Location : Delhi, India News india Morbi Bridge Mishap: Arrested Oreva Manager Calls It 'Act of God'; Probe Reveals

'Cable Was Rusting Away'