Morbi (Gujarat): Today is the anniversary of the hanging bridge collapse in Gujarat's Morbi. A year ago on October 30, 2022, when the whole country was celebrating Diwali the festival of lights, it turned out to be a black day for the people of Morbi.
On Diwali night of October 30, 2022, the British-era Morbi suspension bridge broke, which resulted in the death of 135 people, including men, women and children. People died of drowning. Several fell into the Machhu river. The revellers were enjoying strolls on the Morbi bridge when the tragedy struck. People lost their loved ones and scars from the tragedy will take several years to heal. Several families lost their sole breadwinner leaving them devasted. Some people, who lost their families in the tragedy, spoke to ETV Bharat.
Recalling the tragedy, Kanjibhai Sathwada, father of deceased Chirag, hailing from Rajkot, said, "My son had joined Jetco Company about 11 months ago before the Morbi bridge collapse. It was Sunday. Both my son and his maternal uncle had gone to Morbi Bridge. We lost both of them. The wound of losing a young son will never be compensated. But, we are demanding that the accused in the case should be given the harshest punishment."
"My son was the sole breadwinner and support for the family. After losing my son in the tragedy, I was completely devastated. Nothing will compensate for the loss we have suffered. I am praying to God that whosoever was responsible for the tragedy should be given stringent punishment," said Natwar Khandhar, father of the deceased.
On Monday, around 40 members of the deceased under the aegis of the Morbi Tragedy Victims' Association staged a sit-in for three hours near the Sabarmati Ashram on Monday. They paid homage to men, women and children, who died in the tragedy. They were demanding stringent punishment for the culprits of the tragedy as well as speedy trial in the case.
Also read: HC asks Gujarat govt to file affidavit on rehabilitation of kids orphaned in Morbi bridge crash
