Guwahati, June 19: Assam Police have arrested five individuals and initiated disciplinary proceedings against three police personnel, including an assistant sub-inspector, concerning the collapse of a newly repaired bridge over the Harang River in Cachar district.

The bridge, located on the critical Silchar–Kalain Road, gave way in the early hours of Wednesday while two overloaded trucks attempted to cross it, violating weight restrictions.

While no injuries were reported, the collapse has severely disrupted road connectivity between Assam’s Barak Valley and the neighbouring states of Tripura, Mizoram, and Manipur via Meghalaya.

Senior Superintendent of Police (Cachar), Numal Mahatta, confirmed the arrests and said that initial findings point to negligence and possible collusion at the police checkpoint.

“Preliminary investigation indicates that one of the speeding trucks, amid heavy rain, collided with a section of the bridge. This appears to have triggered the collapse. The trucks were overloaded and should not have been allowed to pass. Action has been taken against three police personnel who were on duty at the time,” Mahatta stated.

Residents accused the police of turning a blind eye to frequent violations of weight limits, alleging that heavy vehicles routinely bypass restrictions on the route with tacit approval from authorities.

The latest incident has sparked outrage, especially as the bridge had recently undergone repairs and was expected to ease transport bottlenecks in the region.

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