Under-construction bridge collapses in Bihar's Motihari, third one in less than a week
Motihari (PTI): An under-construction small bridge collapsed in East Champaran district on Sunday in third such incident in Bihar in less than a week, officials said.
No casualty was reported in the incident that happened in Ghorasahan block in Motihari, they said.
The 16-metre-long bridge was being built over a canal by the state's Rural Works Department (RWD) to connect Amwa village to other areas of the block. It was being built at a cost of Rs 1.5 crore, they added.
"The exact cause of the incident is not yet known. It is a serious matter and a departmental inquiry has been ordered. Strict action will be taken against those found guilty," Additional Chief Secretary of RWD Dipak Kumar Singh told PTI.
"Senior officers of the district administration have reached the spot. A detailed report is awaited," he said.
District Magistrate Saurabh Jorwal said the exact cause of the incident was being ascertained.
"There are reports that a section of locals initially objected to the construction of certain pillars of the bridge. Police are also looking into this matter," he told PTI.
On Saturday, a small bridge collapsed in Siwan district. It was built over a canal, connecting the villages of Daraunda and Maharajganj blocks.
Prior to that, on Tuesday, a newly constructed bridge, about 180 metres long, had collapsed in the Araria district.
The state has been witness to several mishaps involving bridges, large and small, constructed over rivers and other water bodies. Though such incidents have not resulted in casualties, these have led to questions being raised on the quality of public works.
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Three footballers of Indian origin named in squads for FIFA World Cup 2026
New Delhi: Three footballers of Indian origin have been named in preliminary or final squads for the upcoming FIFA World Cup 2026, scheduled to be held across the United States, Mexico and Canada from June 11 to July 19.
According to a report published by Mathrubhumi, Sarpreet Singh was included in the New Zealand national football team squad which was announced on Wednesday.
Born in Auckland to Indian parents, Singh was eligible to represent India through his family roots but chose to play for New Zealand. The 27-year-old attacking midfielder made his senior international debut in 2018 and has since become a regular member of the national side.
Singh has made 26 appearances for New Zealand and has scored three goals while providing seven assists.
Julen Lopetegui has included two players of Indian origin: Niall Mason and Tahsin Mohammed, in Qatar’s selections for the tournament.
Mason, a defender whose mother is Indian, previously trained in the youth academies of Real Madrid, Southampton FC and Aston Villa FC. Although he received his first senior call-up earlier this year, the Qatar defender is yet to make his senior international debut.
Tahsin Mohammed, 19, was born to parents from Kerala’s Kannur district. His father Jamshid is from Thalassery, while his mother Shaima belongs to Valapattanam. The winger became the first player of Indian origin to feature in the Qatar Stars League, Qatar’s premier domestic football competition.
Mohammed has made two appearances for the senior Qatar side, including in a World Cup qualifier against Afghanistan in June 2024.
The FIFA World Cup 2026 will be jointly hosted by United States, Mexico and Canada.
