Vadodara: The death toll in the collapse of a decades-old bridge over the Mahisagar River in Gujarat’s Vadodara district rose to 16 on Thursday, with search operations continuing for three to four people still reported missing, officials confirmed.

The incident occurred on Wednesday morning when a portion of the Gambhira-Mujpur bridge, which connects the Anand and Vadodara districts, gave way near Gambhira village, close to Padra town. Several vehicles plunged into the river following the collapse.

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Vadodara District Superintendent of Police, Rohan Anand, said, “So far, 16 bodies have been recovered, while three to four persons are still missing. The search and rescue operation is ongoing.”

Rescue teams from the National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) and the State Disaster Response Force (SDRF) are continuing efforts in challenging conditions. Vadodara Collector Anil Dhameliya noted that heavy rain and a thick layer of riverbed mud were hampering progress. A temporary bridge is being built along the shore to aid recovery efforts.

“Teams are searching up to four kilometres downstream. We urge the public to inform our control room if they have information on any missing persons,” said Dhameliya.

The collapse, which occurred around 7 am, has left five out of nine rescued individuals injured. They are currently being treated at the SSG Hospital in Vadodara, with none in critical condition.

In response to the tragedy, Gujarat Chief Minister Bhupendra Patel has ordered a high-level inquiry and suspended four government engineers with immediate effect. The suspended officials are NM Naikwala (Executive Engineer), UC Patel and RT Patel (both Deputy Executive Engineers), and JV Shah (Assistant Engineer).

A team of experts has been appointed to carry out a detailed investigation into the bridge’s inspection records, repair history, and quality control measures. The Chief Minister also directed that comprehensive safety inspections be conducted on all bridges across the state.

The incident has drawn national attention, with opposition leaders demanding accountability. Congress MP Priyanka Gandhi Vadra called for a thorough investigation, stating, “It is extremely unfortunate… Such incidents must be probed thoroughly.”

Congress President Mallikarjun Kharge accused the BJP-led government of "crossing all limits of indifference" and blamed the incident on "rampant corruption" and "a leadership crisis."