New Delhi, July 28: A newly inaugurated Rs 16 crore bridge at Nanda Ki Chowki over the Tons River in Dehradun sustained damage following overnight heavy rainfall, triggering questions over the quality of construction of the crucial link connecting Dehradun with Vikasnagar and neighbouring Himachal Pradesh.

The bridge, which was inaugurated only a few days ago, developed a massive crater near its approach road after incessant rainfall, disrupting vehicular movement along the route.

The incident has prompted residents to question whether the newly constructed infrastructure was adequately designed to withstand Uttarakhand’s annual monsoon, which is known for intense rainfall and flooding.

Amid concerns over the damage, Dehradun District Magistrate Ashish Chauhan clarified that the bridge structure itself had not suffered any damage and said restoration work on the affected approach road had already begun.

Speaking to media, Chauhan said, “In this regard, our 24×7 control room had already been activated, and reinforcement teams were deployed immediately. The bridge itself is intact. The damage has occurred to the approach road leading to the bridge, and restoration work is already underway. All the Chief Engineers and other officials are also on the scene and reviewing the restoration process.”

Meanwhile, the Congress staged a protest over the damage to the bridge. Party leader Sangram Singh Pundir questioned “serious lapses” in the execution of the project and demanded accountability from the government.

Speaking to media, Pundir questioned how a newly inaugurated bridge could suffer such damage within days of its completion.

“This bridge had just been constructed, yet it collapsed within a mere sixteen days — a massive failure. While the District Magistrate dismisses it as just a small section giving way, the reality is that all traffic movement here has come to a complete halt. In the past, whenever such incidents occurred, the concerned minister would immediately take moral responsibility and resign; today, we see nothing of the sort,” he said.

The Congress leader further demanded an investigation into the construction of the project, alleging that the incident had raised serious concerns about the quality of work carried out.

“The very infrastructure that was meant to serve the public has been reduced to rubble. We raise this issue vehemently and demand a CBI inquiry into how a newly built bridge collapsed so quickly. It is deeply concerning that a bridge costing Rs 16 crore crumbled in just 16 days; this casts serious doubt on the government and the executing agencies,” he said.

Pundir also accused local legislators of failing to take appropriate action and launched a sharp attack on Uttarakhand Public Works Department (PWD) Minister Satpal Maharaj, demanding answers regarding the execution of the project and the contractor responsible for the construction.

“This bridge falls within our constituency; five bridges have been built over the Tons River, yet they have remained dilapidated for nearly 20 years. What kind of flaws exist here? A bridge collapsing within 15 or 16 days warrants strict action against the contractor. We will launch a protest against the contractor,” he added.

New Delhi, July 28: The Anti-Narcotics Squad of South District Police has achieved a major success by apprehending a bootlegger and seizing a large quantity of Haryana-mark illicit liquor from his possession and residence in Sangam Vihar. A total of 16 cartons of liquor, including country liquor, whisky, and beer meant for sale only in Haryana, were recovered during the operation.

Following the seizure, a case was registered under the Delhi Excise Act. FIR No. 293/2026, dated July 24, under Section 33 of the Delhi Excise Act, was lodged at Police Station Sangam Vihar.

The operation was carried out by a team comprising Head Constable Manish, Head Constable Jaldhari, Head Constable Mukesh, Head Constable Jaiveer, and Constable Lokesh under the leadership of Inspector Mahender Dahiya, In-Charge of the Anti-Narcotics Squad. The operation was conducted under the overall supervision of ACP/Operations, South District, Rituraj.

According to police, on July 24, the Anti-Narcotics Squad received specific Intelligence regarding the illegal storage and sale of Haryana-mark liquor in the Sangam Vihar area. Acting promptly on the information, the team laid a trap near F-2nd Block, Sangam Vihar, and apprehended the accused, identified as Ajay, while he was allegedly found in possession of illicit liquor outside his residence.

Subsequently, a search of the accused’s house led to the recovery of a substantial quantity of illegal liquor. The entire consignment was seized, and the accused was arrested after completing all necessary legal formalities. Further investigation is underway to ascertain the source of the liquor and identify others involved in the supply network.

During interrogation, it was revealed that the accused had allegedly stocked Haryana-mark liquor at his residence and was supplying it illegally in Delhi for financial gain while violating the provisions of the Delhi Excise Act.

The arrested accused has been identified as Ajay (42), son of Chhotu Lal, a resident of F-2nd Block, Sangam Vihar, New Delhi. Police records show that he was previously involved in a similar case registered under the Delhi Excise Act at Sangam Vihar Police Station.

The recovered liquor included 321 quarters (six cartons) of Masaledar Desi Sharab marked “For Sale in Haryana Only”, 227 quarters (five cartons) of whisky, 36 bottles (three cartons) of beer, and 47 beer cans (two cartons). In total, 16 cartons of Haryana-mark illicit liquor were seized during the operation.

Police officials said the Intelligence-based action has dealt a significant blow to the illegal liquor trade in the area. Efforts are continuing to trace the source of the contraband, dismantle the supply chain, and identify other individuals involved in the racket.

Shimla, July 28: Five members of a family, including a minor, were killed when the car they were travelling in fell into a gorge on the National Highway 154A near Dalhousie in Himachal Pradesh’s Chamba district, police said on Tuesday.

The police said prima facie the car fell into the gorge after the driver lost control over it owing to heavy rain. The family was returning home after the treatment of a less than one-year-old child from the PGI in Chandigarh when the accident occurred on Monday night. The victims comprised the child’s grandparents and parents.

The police said the cause of the accident is yet to be ascertained.

Superintendent of Police Vijay Saklani told the media that police and rescue teams were rushed to the spot after the incident was reported.

He said the rescue operation was carried out in the night. Owing to heavy rain and blockage of the National Highway near Banikhet, rescue teams had a tough time rescuing the victims.

With the help of local people and the administration, the rescue and relief work was completed.

Preliminary investigations suggest that heavy rain, dense fog, and slippery road conditions prevailed in the area at the time of the accident.

The driver lost control of the vehicle due to poor visibility, causing the car to plunge into a deep gorge. However, the exact cause of the accident will only be determined once the police investigation is complete.

Meanwhile, the Shimla-based Meteorological Centre has issued a flashflood warning for seven districts of Himachal Pradesh for the next 24 hours as incessant monsoon rain continued in the state, triggering landslides and disrupting traffic.

Its forecast said a low to moderate risk of flash floods remained over a few watersheds and neighbouring areas of Chamba, Kangra, Kullu, Mandi, Shimla, Sirmaur and Solan districts.

People have been advised to avoid vulnerable areas, riverbanks and other water bodies as a precaution.

Several parked vehicles were damaged by torrential overnight rains in and around Chamba town. Also, several residential areas were inundated with mud and debris, damaging houses and shops. The National Highway 154A was also blocked after a landslide.