Imagine being part of a team working on a critical infrastructure project, only to have it come crashing down around you. That's what happened in Jammu and Kashmir, where a bridge collapsed, taking three lives with it. The tragedy occurred in the Thuther area of Bantalab, where workers were busy repairing the bridge that had developed cracks after the 2025 flash floods.

As the structure suddenly gave way, a section of it buried under the rubble, leaving behind a scene of utter devastation. Rescue teams, comprising police, Army, SDRF, NDRF, and civil administration, rushed to the site, launching a coordinated effort to search for survivors. Heavy machinery was pressed into service to expedite the rescue operation, but unfortunately, it was too late for three people who lost their lives in the disaster.

The deceased have been identified as Panchu Sethi (50) from Odisha's Ganjam district and Harish Kumar (28) and Raj Kumar (30) from Chhattisgarh. Another worker, Tarsem Lal, was rescued and hospitalized with injuries.

The incident has sent shockwaves throughout the region, and authorities have swung into action, initiating a probe and suspending two engineers - Sahil Verma and Sajad Mir - pending an inquiry.

A three-member inquiry committee has been constituted to investigate all aspects of the incident, including any dereliction of duty by departmental officers, and fix responsibility, especially of the executing agency. The committee has been directed to submit its report within 15 days, with recommendations to prevent such incidents in the future.