Varanasi flyover tragedy: Crime branch begins probe, quizzes UPSCB officials

A team of UP police crime branch on Thursday visited the office of Uttar Pradesh State Bridge Corporation and sought details about the safety measures taken at the site of under-construction flyover, a portion of which collapsed on May 15.

A team of UP police crime branch on Thursday visited the office of Uttar Pradesh State Bridge Corporation (UPSBC) and sought details about the safety measures taken at the site of under-construction flyover, a portion of which collapsed on May 15.

Suspended chief project manager HC Tiwari being quzzed by crime branch sleuths at Uttar Pradesh State Bridge Corporation(UPSBC) office in Varanasi. (HT Photo)

The police had registered a case on Wednesday against 18 UPSBC officials for dereliction of duty. The case was transferred to the crime branch following the instructions of additional director general (ADG), Varanasi zone, PV Ramashastri.

Superintendent of police, crime, Gyanendra Nath Prasad said, “We called on UPSBC officials, including suspended chief project manager HC Tiwari, and collected information about the number of officials present at the flyover site when the incident took place and their roles and responsibilities. We also asked them to provide details of the standard safety measures that were being followed at the time of the incident.”

He said the UPSBC officials had also been asked to provide details of total employees with their roles and responsibilities and what according to them could be the possible cause of the incident.

“The information has been sought as part of the investigation. The officials have been asked to provide the details as soon as possible,” Prasad said.