Bridge collapse at Pune sweeps away tourists; 4 dead, PM, Shah speak to Fadnavis

A tragic incident unfolded at Kundmala, a popular tourist spot in Pune district, on Sunday afternoon when an old bridge over the Indrayani River collapsed, leading to fears that several individuals have been swept away by the current. Police have confirmed one fatality so far, and extensive rescue operations are currently underway to locate and save others who plunged into the water. The accident occurred around 3:30 PM, a time when a significant number of visitors had gathered in the area for the weekend.

According to Maval MLA Sunil Shelke, the iron bridge, estimated to be 30 years old, was reportedly carrying around 100 people when it suddenly gave way. While some individuals who fell managed to reach the shore, many others were reportedly swept away by the river. Emergency response was swift, with personnel from Talegaon Dabhade police station under the Pimpri-Chinchwad Police Commissionerate arriving quickly at the scene to initiate rescue efforts.

The scale of the incident has prompted a heightened response, with two teams from the National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) also rushing to the spot to bolster the ongoing search and rescue operations. This unfortunate event has raised concerns about the safety and maintenance of infrastructure at popular tourist destinations, especially older structures, and further details on the number of missing persons and the exact cause of the collapse are awaited as rescue efforts continue.