Gujarat News: Industrialist Jaysukh Patel, the main accused in the 2022 Morbi suspension bridge collapse that claimed 135 lives, faced widespread criticism after being honoured at an event organised by the Patidar community in Morbi district. The felicitation, held on Friday, was for the ‘Pran Pratishtha’ of the Uma Sanskardham temple on the outskirts of Morbi town.

Patel, who is currently out on bail, was honoured in his capacity as the son of the late OR Patel, a philanthropist and the founder of the Ajanta Group. At the event, Patel was weighed in “modak” on a scale, a symbolic gesture, news agency PTI reported. The organisers, from the Kadva Patidar Kanya Kelavani Mandal, said that the modak would be packed into 60,000 boxes and distributed among Patidar families.

Videos of the event surfaced on social media showing Jaysukh Patel being weighed in “modak” on a scale.

#MorbiBridgeTragedy का आरोपी #JaysukhPatel जिसे 135 लोगों की मौत के लिए गिरफ़्तार किया गया था | आज उनका पाटीदार समाज के जरिए सम्मान किया गया। सवाल हैं की 135 लोगों की मौत के लिए जिम्मेदार की मोदक तुला क्यों ?#Gujarat #OREVA @OrevaGroup pic.twitter.com/uL3PRYncE8

— Parth Amin (@parthamin4433) November 16, 2024

The event sparked strong reactions from the families of the victims. Narendra Parmar, a member of an association representing the victims and their families, expressed his anguish, stating, “It is a matter of sadness for us to see the main accused in the Morbi suspension bridge collapse being honoured like that.” Parmar, who lost his 10-year-old daughter in the tragedy, added, “I learnt about Patel’s felicitation through a news report and felt sad. He was barred from entering Morbi but secured the court’s permission for the event. The incident and losing a child is not something one forgets in his lifetime”, as quoted by PTI.

Patel’s firm, Oreva Group, was responsible for the operation and maintenance of the British-era suspension bridge over the Machchhu River, which collapsed on October 30, 2022. The tragedy led to the deaths of 135 people, including women and children, and left 56 others injured. Following the collapse, Patel and several others were arrested on charges of culpable homicide not amounting to murder and endangering human life. 

Court Relaxed Jaysukh Patel’s Bail Condition That Barred Him From Entering Morbi

In a recent development, a court relaxed Patel’s bail condition that had barred him from entering Morbi, allowing him to attend the event. Former Congress MLA Lalit Kagathara defended the honouring of Patel, stating that there was nothing wrong with the industrialist being recognised by his community. “I have been saying that Jaysukh Patel is innocent. Morbi’s then collector and civic officials are responsible for the tragedy. Why was an FIR not registered against them? OR Patel was the ‘Bhishma Pitamah’ of the Patidar community and a philanthropist. There is nothing wrong with his son being honoured by the community,” Kagathara said, as quoted by PTI.

In addition to Patel, ten others, including two managers of his firm, two sub-contractors, three security guards, and two ticket booking clerks, were arrested in connection with the collapse. 

Patel had moved the Supreme Court after the Gujarat High Court rejected his regular bail plea in December 2023. On March 22, 2024, the apex court ordered Patel’s release and directed the trial court to frame his bail conditions.