‘Screams rang through the air’: Eyewitnesses describe horror of Pune bridge collapse

Screams reportedly rang through the air as locals rushed to pull survivors from the fast-flowing river, swollen by heavy rains over the past two days.

A rusted iron bridge over the Indrayani River in Pune’s Kundmala village collapsed on Sunday evening, killing at least four people and injuring over 30, with six reported to be in critical condition. Eyewitnesses described terrifying moments as the structure shook violently for nearly five minutes before giving way under the weight of tourists and parked vehicles.

Screams reportedly rang through the air as locals rushed to pull survivors from the fast-flowing river, swollen by heavy rains over the past two days. Amol, who was on the bridge when it collapsed, recounted the chaos to NDTV: "I struggled for 15 minutes in the water and finally held a pipe and came out."

#WATCH | Pune, Maharashtra | Visuals from the spot of the bridge collapse that took place on the Indrayani River near Talegaon, that left four people dead and 51 injured. pic.twitter.com/aMXi7hMAaH

ANI (@ANI) June 16, 2025

Latika, another eyewitness, said around 50 people were on the bridge at the time, many ignoring danger signs. "People had their scooters and motorcycles parked on the bridge. Nobody paid heed to the danger signs,” she was quoted by NDTV as saying.

The National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) and police teams launched a large-scale operation, though authorities fear 10 to 15 people may still be trapped. Zone 2 Deputy Commissioner of Police Vishal Gaikwad confirmed the bridge was old and dilapidated, collapsing around 4 PM.

As search operations continue, disturbing videos from the scene show NDRF teams combing through debris in the turbulent river.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi spoke to Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis, who announced Rs 5 lakh compensation for the families of the deceased and assured state-funded treatment for the injured.

In a post on X, Fadnavis expressed grief over the tragedy, stating that relief efforts were being accelerated. “I was deeply saddened to hear the news of the tragedy that occurred when a bridge over the Indrayani River collapsed in Indori, near Talegaon in Pune district,” he wrote.

Deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar revealed that an Rs 8 crore plan for a new bridge had already been sanctioned, while his colleague Eknath Shinde ordered structural audits of all river bridges in the state. "This accident will be thoroughly investigated and action will be taken against those responsible. No one will be spared," Shinde was quoted as saying.

The collapse comes amid an orange alert for Pune and Pimpri Chinchwad, with heavy rains lashing the ghat regions. The bridge, a popular monsoon spot, had reportedly been weakened by years of neglect and rust.