Kolkata flyover collapse: 'Bhaiya mujhe nikalo', cabbie cries for help

Kolkata: A sudden collapse of an under-construction flyover in the buzzing streets of Kolkata's Burrabazar wreaked havoc in the city on Thursday, killing 24 so far and trapping hundreds.

The entire city came to a standstill after the tragic incident. Amid the frenzy, a driver was found trapped in the debris, struggling to save his life. Being cowed down by the pressure of the collapsed flyover, he was hardly able to move his head. The only thing he uttered was 'Bhaiya mujhe nikalo'. Despite struggling hard, he succumbed to his injuries.

“When I reached there with my rescue team, I heard a taxi driver groaning, I could hear him say Bhaiyya mujhe nikalo (Please pull me out),” said a member of the civil defence team.

Read: Kolkata flyover collapse: Toll rises to 24 rescue ops on through night

“We tried really hard to pull him out, but in vain. His death acted as a major force to speed our rescue efforts,” he added.

This isn’t an isolated case, many are still trapped under the debris, writhing in pain, awaiting help.

Read: Kolkata flyover collapse: It was like a bomb blast, says a victim

A portion of the Vivekananda Setu, which has been under construction since 2009, came crashing down at around 12.35 pm at the crossing of Vivekananda Road and Rabindra Sarani in the densely-populated and congested Burrabazar area on Thursday.

Death toll in the flyover collapse has risen to 24. The army and other rescue teams have battled all through the night to rescue people still trapped under the rubble.

Besides, many vehicles were crushed or damaged and the passengers travelling in them were killed on the spot.

Read: Video captures terrifying moment the Kolkata flyover collapsed

Armymen along with Kolkata Police disaster management team, NDRF, fire fighters pulled out three more bodies from underneath the rubble of concrete in the overnight rescue operations, a police officer said. The number of people injured in the mishap, he said, was closed to 90.

Read: Kolkata flyover collapse: Commotion, despair prevail at hospitals

"Nobody alive has been recovered... Two rambled autorickshaws apart from a few other vehicles have been pulled out. One lorry is still stuck inside... Whether there is anybody trapped inside cannot be said," he said.

Read: Kolkata flyover collapse: Centre directs NDRF to engage all resources

The West Bengal government ordered a high-level probe into the tragedy that triggered a blame game with the Opposition accusing the Mamata Banerjee government of callousness. Hitting back, the Trinamool Congress said the earlier Left Front government, under whose rule the construction of the flyover had begun in 2009, was to blame for the collapse. The company in charge of the flyover’s construction called Thursday’s tragedy an “act of God”, which triggered fury in several quarters.

“I had stepped out of my home to take a glass of juice from the corner shop. When I heard the loud explosion, at first I thought it was an earthquake and then before my eyes the flyover collapsed,” said Prem Prakash, a local resident.

Read: Kolkata flyover collapse: Office of Hyderabad-based construction firm sealed

Another eyewitness said that when the flyover collapsed over a minibus with passengers on board, several private cars, three taxis, two Matador vans and some autos came under the debris. For nearly two hours, the police, fire brigade and disaster management personnel struggled to rescue people trapped under the debris and thousands of tonnes of concrete and steel. Hundreds of local residents converged on the disaster scene and started to extend a helping hand to the victims and the local administration. The police had a tough time dispersing the mob from the spot and the CRPF was brought in to control the situation. As cranes, gas-cutting machines and JCV machines were taken to the spot, rescue operation started. Five columns of the Army were rushed to the spot, and immediately joined in the rescue efforts, with its personnel using their hands to break concrete slabs to rescue trapped people. NDRF personnel too joined in the rescue work.

Read: Kolkata flyover collapse an ‘act of God’, says builder

“There were some heart-wrenching scenes like the one where a person totally trapped and invisible from outside managed to push out his bleeding arm in a bid to attract attention. Two local people offered him a bottle of water,” an eyewitness recounted. However, this person did not survive. Local residents vented their ire against the state government for sheer callousness. “The workers were casting concrete slabs on the flyover since last night. They were still working when the incident occurred,” a local resident said. Some alleged there were some faults in the flyover’s design while others accused the construction firm of using poor quality materials to build the flyover.

West Bengal chief minister Mamata Banerjee, who was touring Jangalmahal campaigning for the polls, cancelled her public rallies in West Midnapore and rushed back to the city in a helicopter. Earlier, chief secretary Basudeb Banerjee, home secretary Moloy De and other senior bureaucrats and police personnel had rushed to the spot to supervise the rescue and relief operations. As soon as Ms Banerjee reached the site, she took hold of a hand-held microphone and appealed to local people for cooperation. “This is a huge tragedy and I want all your help and cooperation,” she said. On her instructions, the chief secretary announced compensation of Rs 5 lakhs for the families of the bereaved and Rs 3 lakhs for each of those seriously injured.

Read: Kolkata flyover collapse: Rescuers sift through rubble at collapse site

Union home minister Rajnath Singh, who was touring the state campaigning for BJP candidates in Purulia district, voiced his anguish at the tragedy and ordered that Army and paramilitary forces be sent immediately for rescue operations. However, BJP spokesman Mukhtar Abbas Naqvi, who was in Kolkata, held the Mamata Banerjee government responsible for the mishap. “This is a clear-cut case of corruption and it must be investigated by the CBI and whoever is found guilty — howsoever high and mighty he may be — should be arrested immediately,” Mr Naqvi said. State Congress chief Adhir Chowdhury was even more specific. “I demand the arrest of state urban development minister Firhad Hakim,” he said.

The chief minister, however, cleared passed the buck to her predecessor Left Front government. “The construction had started in 2009,” Ms Banerjee pointed out. She added: “Stringent action will be taken against officials of the construction company and the others involved.”