Gangtok, May 30: The rural management and development department (RMDD) has asked the Sikkim government to set up an inquiry committee to probe the collapse of an under construction bridge that killed four labourers at Chenzey yesterday.

The dead have been identified as Latif Haq, Munna Haq, Kanu Urawu and Parimal Urawu. At least 25 workers were also injured when the scaffolding supporting the bridge gave way while a concrete slab was being cast. Rural management and development secretary Anil Ganeriwala said a departmental inquiry has been started. He said a proposal for an independent probe has been put before the government.

The divisional engineer (East) of the RMDD has registered a complaint against government contractor T. Lachungpa with Ranipul police station, accusing him of flouting guidelines laid down for constructing bridges in the hills. The police have registered cases under Section 304 (culpable homicide not amounting to murder) and Section 337 of the IPC. Lachungpa, too, had been injured.

Yesterday, the contractor had told The Telegraph that the scaffolding may have weakened after the soil below it loosened following heavy rainfall in the past few days.

The bridge was part of the 2.5km road to Lower Chenzey that is being constructed under the Pradhan Mantri’s Gram Sadak Yojna and implemented by the RMDD. It will connect Chenzey to the main road to Rumtek.

“It is an unfortunate incident. We have stopped casting in this manner under the scheme for the time being,” Ganeriwala said.

Two weeks ago, a similar incident had been reported in South Sikkim. That bridge, too, had been taken up under the Gram Sadak Yojna for a road from Chemchey to Wok. The government contractor B.B. Rai and his son along with some 20 labourers were injured in the cave-in.

The state government had then set up an inquiry committee headed by D.T. Lepcha, the principal chief engineer-cum-secretary of the buildings and housing department. The divisional, junior and assistant engineers and the supervisor were suspended.