• Indian police have arrested 9 people over the Morbi bridge collapse disaster in India, per Reuters.
• Some 400 people were on and around the bridge when it collapsed into the Machchhu River on Sunday.
• Authorities say that the death toll has now risen to 134, including many children.

The Indian police on Monday arrested nine people over the Morbi bridge collapse disaster in Gujarat, India, which left at least 134 people dead, senior police officer Ashok Kumar Yadav told Reuters. 

Ticketing staff, three security guards, as well as two people who were contracted to repair the structure, were among those who were arrested. It is likely that more people will be arrested as the investigation goes on, Yadav said.

The suspension bridge was built during British colonial rule in the 19th century and had been undergoing repairs. It collapsed on Sunday, shortly after being reopened last week.

Photos and video footage, including one uploaded by local news channel News24, captured the moment when the cables that were holding up the bridge snapped, sending hundreds of people into the Machchhu River below. 

—News24 (@news24tvchannel) October 31, 2022

 

The death toll has risen to 134, while around 170 people were rescued, senior government official N.K. Muchhar told Reuters. About 35 victims were under the age of 14, Reuters reported, citing a list of the deceased.

Gujarat-based company Oreva — which was responsible for the maintenance of the bridge — had not informed the authorities of plans to reopen the bridge for public use after the repairs, Sandeepsinh Zala, the chief officer of Morbi municipality, told Reuters.

“We have not issued any fitness certificate to them,” Zala added.  

A day after the Morbi bridge tragedy, authorities imposed an hourly limit of 3,000 people on the famous Atal Bridge in Ahmedabad, the largest city in Gujarat state, per The Times of India. 

The Indian authorities and Oreva did not immediately respond to Insider’s requests for comment.