Indian Police Detains Five IVRCL Officials After Overpass Collapse That Killed 24

Five officials from IVRCL Infrastructure Co. were detained Friday by Kolkata police in India after a collapse of under-construction overpass in the city that killed at least 24 people and injured 100 others.

According to the city police the officials have been detained for questioning about the reasons of the collapse on Thursday in a busy neighborhood.

Police has sealed the city office of IVRCL, headquartered in Indian city of Hyderabad, that signed a contract to build the overpass in 2007 and was behind schedule of completion for more than five years.

Meanwhile, the police have launched an investigation alleging culpable homicide and criminal breach of trust against the company.

Television footage showed shocking images of the disaster scene with massive fallen steel girders, a crushed truck, taxis crumpled under slabs of concrete, destroyed rickshaws as well as dozens of people trapped.

The blame game has started amid the wake of election in the state. Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee blames the building company and also the previous government that commissioned the project. Rival political parties are seen blaming the government. Meanwhile, the building company said the accident to be an act of God.

Collapse of buildings and overpasses are not rare in the country. In April 2013 an under-construction building collapsed in Thane, Maharashtra, killing 74 people. In November 2010 a residential building toppled in New Delhi killing 65. in September 2010 and July 2009 a suspension bridge outside a stadium getting ready for Commonwealth Games crashed injuring 27 workers and a bridge built to carry Delhi’s metro trains collapsed in the capital killed five workers.