NEW DELHI — Indian officials filed homicide charges Monday against the operators of a suspension bridge and launched an investigation after at least 134 people were killed when the footbridge collapsed, sending tourists tumbling into the Machchhu River in western Gujarat state.
In addition to the dead, there are still a number of people missing as of midday Monday, Ashok Yadav, a Gujarat police official, told The Washington Post. Some outlets, citing unnamed officials, reported the death toll could be higher, exceeding 140. The accident took place in Morbi, a riverside town known for its Victorian-era bridge and old town, and came amid a holiday rush: tourists have been celebrating Diwali as well as the Gujarati New Year, which fell this year on Oct. 26.
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