Kerala PWD minister Mohammed Riyas said that four officers of the Public Works Department were suspended in Ernakulam on Sunday. This was following the death of a youth, Vishnu, who fell into a pit at an approaching road to a bridge which was under repair. The incident occurred at Tripunithara in Ernakulam district in the wee hours of Sunday.

The pillion rider of the motorcycle, Adarsh, is battling for his life at a private medical centre in Ernakulam.

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Minister Mohammed Riyas immediately called for a report from the PWD and after analysing the cause of the accident, directed to suspend Executive Engineer, Assistant Executive Engineer, Assistant Engineer and Overseer of the bridges department of the PWD in Ernakulam district. They were in charge of supervising the bridge maintenance and repair work.

The family members and friends of the youth told media persons that the accident was clearly due to the callous attitude of the contractual staff who were in the construction of the bridge.

Sajikumar, a local person at Thripunithara, told media persons that the contractual staff did not bother to put a cautionary signage near the under-maintenance bridge where there was a major pit which the drivers could not notice. The locals said that Vishnu might not have seen the pit and would have fallen into it.

(With inputs from IANS)

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